Studio Saxe designs a cluster of bungalows in a Costa Rican forest with a delicate and sustainable approach

In the heart of the Bagaces jungle, in northwestern Costa Rica, where the Blanco River merges with the thermal waters of the Perdido River, a cluster of eight bungalows appears to float, as if sprouting organically from the forest floor. This remote and once-inaccessible landscape has become a retreat for contemplation, thanks to the delicate and sustainable intervention of Costa Rican practice Studio Saxe.

Raised on slender stilts that preserve the natural topography, these structures seem to hover weightlessly. They are contemporary pavilions in perfect dialogue with their environment, where walls vanish into frameless glass, offering uninterrupted views of the landscape and the vertical drama of the surrounding canyons. Light architecture for a dense and immersive setting.

The transition between public and private is resolved with a stone wall that anchors each volume to the earth—a tectonic gesture that grants privacy without sacrificing the view. Inside, the layout is fluid and sincere: the bedroom opens to the jungle, the outdoor shower welcomes the breeze, and a horizontal window frames the canyon in all its splendor.

The project incorporates passive sustainability strategies that respond to the tropical climate: generous overhangs shield from heavy rains and heat, cross-ventilation removes the need for air conditioning, and local materials—wood, stone, and clay—establish a dialogue of harmony and respect with the natural surroundings. Mostly prefabricated, the bungalows minimize construction impact and gently adapt to the topographic variations of the site.

Project: Río Perdido, West Bungalows.
Location: Bagaces, Guanacaste, Costa Rica
Architecture: Studio Saxe.
Partner: Benjamín G Saxe.
Architecture project: Arthur Micheron
Interior Design: Dania Saragovia.
Construction: Jimaco Constructores.
Electromechanical Engineer: Utsupra.
Structural Engineer: Sotela Alfaro, Bildtek.
Photography: Alvaro Fonseca – Depth Lens.
Video: Production Alvaro Fonseca – Depth Lens. Film/Edit Hansel Alfaro, Hanzfaro. Music by Andrés Soto Marín.
Completion: 2024.
Area: 102 m² x 8 : 816 m².

Benjamin García Saxe

Architect Benjamin G. Saxe founded his studio in San José, Costa Rica, in 2004 with a clear purpose: to redefine our relationship with nature through architecture. Since then, Studio Saxe has grown into an international firm with a presence in the Americas, Europe, and the Caribbean—always guided by a philosophy that blends technological innovation with artisanal tradition in pursuit of true sustainability.

Their projects—whether private homes, hotels, or public spaces—always begin with the place. Each building is a singular response, a careful experiment that explores local materials, construction systems, and ways of life. At Studio Saxe, formulas are not repeated; they are observed, interpreted, and reinvented. The jungle, the mountains, or the coast become interlocutors and co-authors of the design.

Among their most celebrated works are jungle-immersed hotels, ocean-facing homes, and hospitality developments that redefine the idea of luxury through an intimate connection with nature. All are conceived with a holistic approach that integrates architecture, interior design, engineering, and landscape, seeking a positive impact on the communities in which they unfold.

Studio Saxe’s perspective is local in its sensitivity and global in its ambition. They research from Costa Rica, but their ideas—solid, ethical, and inspiring—engage in dialogue with the world’s most advanced practices.

Source: Studio Saxe.

Project by Benjamin García Saxe