Tres Pochotes is a single-family residence designed by FAMM Arquitectura in Playa Hermosa de Cóbano, Costa Rica. Set within a dense tropical landscape, the house takes shape around three existing pochote trees, allowing the site itself to define the rhythm, orientation, and openness of the architecture. Rather than occupying the terrain as an isolated object, the project unfolds through shaded terraces, framed views, and open-air transitions immersed within the canopy.

The project explores a more personal interpretation of tropical living on the Costa Rican coast, one shaped by climate, material warmth, and the everyday relationship between interior life and nature. A central volume clad in white brick intersects two lateral wings defined by exposed concrete, teak, and locally sourced pochote wood. Together, these elements establish a balance between solidity and permeability, where enclosed spaces gradually dissolve into vegetation, airflow, and light.

Movement through the house is guided by changing relationships with shadow, breeze, and landscape. Large roof extensions and exterior circulation blur the boundary between inside and outside, while filtered sunlight moves continuously through the interiors beneath the tree canopy. Generous openings frame the surrounding vegetation from nearly every space, reinforcing a constant connection to the tropical environment.

The material palette remains deeply rooted in local construction traditions. Exterior walls are clad in pochote wood, ceilings are finished in teak, and structural elements remain exposed, allowing the concrete to retain its raw presence throughout the house. In the social areas, pigmented concrete flooring references the red ochre floors commonly found in traditional Costa Rican homes, introducing a subtle sense of memory within a contemporary architectural language.

Passive environmental strategies are integrated naturally into the design. Cross ventilation, shaded outdoor spaces, thermal mass, and existing vegetation work together to reduce heat gain and maintain thermal comfort throughout the day. More than technical solutions, these elements shape the atmosphere of the house itself, an environment defined by filtered light, natural airflow, and an immersive relationship with the landscape.