The owners of this house are from Costa Rica. After our second meeting, their second child was born, and at our third meeting, their house was filled with family and friends, which is a common occurrence in their home. The suburban box did not at all fit their lifestyle. The original layout of their house was closed, dark, and divided into very small rooms. They said that there was not one space in which they felt comfortable and that what they wanted was an open house full of light in which their children could be free to explore and play independently in, within view of their parents.
The solution was to create a courtyard house with large sliding-glass doors to bring the inside out and the outside in. The existing house was opened up completely and a cathedral ceiling was added to the living room. Two new wings were also added: a kitchen/dining space and a master suite. Ipe hardwood from the deck continues into the central space, creating warmth and texture in the heart of the house.