Photo: Nic Lehoux
Costa Rica Treehouse
Santa Teresa, Costa Rica
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Design Principal
Tom Kundig
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Principal
Kevin M. Kudo-King
Costa Rica Treehouse is inspired by the jungle of its densely forested site on the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica. Built entirely of locally harvested teak wood, the retreat engages with the jungle at each of its three levels: the ground floor opens to the forest floor, the middle level is nestled within the trees, and the top level rises above the tree canopy with views of the surf at nearby Playa Hermosa beach.
Designed to operate passively, the home is intended to breathe and remain open to the elements in this temperate semi-tropic environment. The top and bottom floors are completely open to the elements with a double-screen operable wood shutter system that allows daylight and natural ventilation, but also privacy and security when the owners are away. Shading, a 3.5-kW photovoltaic array, and a rainwater collection system make the house’s compact footprint even lighter on the land.
The project has an intentionally small footprint and is quite tall – this allowed us to maintain a light influence on the site while engaging with the natural landscape in different ways on all three levels of the house.Tom Kundig, FAIA, RIBA
Team
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Design Principal
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Principal
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Project Architect
Martina Bendel
Awards
2023
AIA National Small Project Award
2022
AIA Housing Award
2021
AIA Northwest and Pacific Region Design Awards, Citation Award
Publications
2022
“Costa Rica Treehouse.” Archilovers, 30 Mar. 2022. Web.
Dreith, Ben. “AIA reveals America’s best homes for 2022.” Dezeen, 25 Mar. 2022. Web.
“Olson Kundig.” Hospitality Interiors, 10 Feb. 2022. Web.
“Olson Kundig.” Hospitality Interiors, Jan./Feb. 2022, 60-66. Print.
“Two Olson Kundig projects receive AIA Housing Awards.” Seattle Daily Journal of Commerce, 29 Mar. 2022, 1, 4. Print.
2021
“Costa Rica Treehouse.” Living in Nature. London: Phaidon, Apr. 2021, 20-23. Book.
“Jungle Living.” Tree Houses: Escape to the Canopy. Melbourne: Images Publishing, 76-81, May 2021. Book.
Monie, Karine. “La Casa del Arbol.” AD Mexico y Latinoamerica, January/February 2021, 112-119. Print.
Moss, Chris. “Naturally Good.” Conde Nast Traveler, January/February 2021, 2, 71-79. Print.
2020
Camillo, Paola. “Tom Kundig.” Contract Book, #3 / Jul. 2020, 108-112. Print.
“Costa Rica Treehouse.” Archello, 11 Feb. 2020. Web.
Dowdy, Clare. “A new spin on the dream country house.” BBC News Online, 17 Jun. 2020. Web.
Ganea, Simona. “10 Beautiful House Designs from Tropical Costa Rica.” Homedit, 4 Sep. 2020. Web.
Hastings, Rebecca. “Look up! Luxury treetop homes for living the high life.” MSN Money, 24 Jan. 2020. Web.
“Judges’ Awards Preview.” Wallpaper*, Jan. 2020, 100-101. Print.
NeueHouse. “A Conversation with Tom Kundig & Mark Rozzo.” NeueJournal, 28 Sep. 2020. Web.
Orton, Troy. “A Striking Treehouse Set in Costa Rican Jungle.” Plain Magazine, 14 Sep. 2020. Web.
Out of the Woods book / Gestalten publishing
Rozzo, Mark. “Call of the Wild.” Air Mail, 13 Jun. 2020. Web.
2019
“Costa Rica Treehouse.” Architizer, 14 Aug. 2019. Web.
“Costa Rica Treehouse.” World-Architects, 10 May 2019. Web.
Dowdy, Claire. “Tree Love.” Wallpaper*, May 2019, 149-150. Print.
Hugron, Jean-Philippe. “Le Mythe de la Cabane.” Architectures a Vivre, July/August 2019, 192-197. Print.
Ingram, Tracey. “Surf and Canopy.” URBIS, October/November 2019, 98-105. Print.
Park, Hana. “정글 숲과 하나 된 건축물 costa rica treehouse.” Ehousing, July 2019, 132-139. Print.
Pintos, Paula. “Costa Rica Treehouse / Olson Kundig.” ArchDaily. 25 Apr. 2019. Web.
Schouten, Jan Maurits. “Boomhuis van lokaal teak.” Het Houtblad, June 2019, 20-25. Print.
Schwab, Lena. “Nur Surfen Ist Schoner.” Hauser, October/November 2019, 4, 8-10, 12. Print.
Singhal, Sumit. “Costa Rica Treehouse in Santa Teresa by Olson Kundig.” AECCafe, 19 May 2019. Web.
