Nature

An extended deck was another customization, as well as a pivoting door system.

This room between two interior courtyards was designed as a screened porch. “Courtyards are a good solution for the climate in San Antonio,” says English. “[They] serve as collectors of cool air.”

The courtyards are similar in size, form, and materials to the rooms of the house.

A view of the first courtyard, just inside the front door.

Glass walls bookend the kitchen/living area on the entry level, connecting the space to a patio and terrace.

The home came with a planted courtyard, but the couple had limited time to properly care for it. The architects reduced the planted space and added flooring, creating a solace closer to a patio.

Located in Ojochal, Costa Rica, at the edge of a large tropical rain forest, the multi-disciplinary firm of A-01 (A Company / A Foundation) designed a prefabricated home that would respond to its local environment by exclusively using passive climate control.