EL MOLINO
An exercise in density where spatial efficiency becomes a tool for preserving more of the surrounding natural landscape.
LOCATION
Pelada Beach, Nosara.
Costa Rica
BUILT AREA
1850m2
STATUS
Built
SERVICES
Architecture
SECTOR
Multi-Residential Development
Boutique Rental
An effort towards efficiency: different approaches to design in nature
El Molino is a gated residential development in Playa Pelada, Nosara, Costa Rica. Conceived as a compact coastal community, the project seeks to balance density, spatial efficiency, and a direct relationship with the tropical landscape. Its placement on the site responds to the presence of a protected natural reserve that borders one edge of the property and becomes the primary landscape reference for the development.
The project consists of ten residential units distributed across three levels, with a total built area of approximately 1,850 m². Each residence integrates the kitchen, dining, and living areas with outdoor terraces and a private pool, while the upper levels concentrate the bedrooms and flexible spaces such as offices or terraces oriented toward views directed to the reserve.
The project understands efficiency as an act of preservation: the more precisely the built footprint is reduced and optimized, the more of the surrounding natural landscape can remain untouched.
The architectural organization is based on a clear volumetric logic. Two continuous volumes structure the development and define patios, circulation paths, and visual relationships with the immediate surroundings. This separation reinforces both the environmental performance and the identity of the project, allowing each unit to maintain a degree of singularity within a collective composition through subtle variations in façade rhythm and the expression of outdoor spaces.
The house is organized around three pochote trees that define the orientation and geometry of the volumes, terraces, and balconies. Wide windows on all façades frame views of the surrounding tree canopies and the tropical landscape, while overhangs and cantilevers create smooth transitions between interior and exterior spaces. Cross ventilation, generous eaves, and natural shade provide passive thermal comfort, reducing the need for artificial cooling systems.
