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The multi-level main residence sits nestled among soaring trees and thick landscaping, offering a tranquil oasis to reconnect with nature.

Clerestory windows span across the living areas and continue into the spacious kitchen, which features its original cabinets and soapstone counters.

"The retreat has an exterior platform larger than the interior in order to encourage the inhabitants to carry on outdoor activities," says Alejandro. "The exterior platforms are connected so it is possible to walk around in a cyclic and spontaneous pattern."

A modest, gabled 1965 hut on the outskirts of Guatemala City was transformed into an expansive 4,467-square-foot getaway. Blurring the indoors and out, architect Alejandro Paz adhered to the original architectural elements while adding modernized touches. The roof maintains the same angle as the original hut, but reversed, while new modules give the space a new identity. With floor-to-ceiling glazing, the home allows for the residents to take in the Guatemalan forest from all angles.

The pitched roofs are topped with CINDU metal cladding.

Extremely durable Caribbean ipe has been used for the exterior deck, interior floors, and siding.

La Cabañita Diagram.

Like the original construction, the additions have been mainly built of timber, steel, and glass.

The triple sliding doors enable an indoor/outdoor lifestyle during good weather. Though they weren't cheap, it's a splurge the family doesn't regret. The dining room table was built by John Paluska’s father, a furniture maker in Maine.

From their front porch, the Paluskas can talk to friends and neighbors on the street. "It's the relationship we want to have to the neighborhood," says John Paluska.

The dark cedar wood countertops and a rose gold faucet in this kitchen meld together to craft a cozy and industrial feel.