Building devoted to the offices of maritime freight representatives and aviation companies (Lufthansa and Mexicana de Aviación).

The old houses in downtown San José –mostly built in adobe and wood– have gradually been demolished to sell the land. The lot size is usually small, in this particular case, with a 13-meter frontage and a steep slope.

Under these conditions, the buildings designed have only two façades, in this specific case facing East and West.

The eaves facing West block the afternoon sunlight, and an oversized visor protects the façade from the morning sun. In the afternoon, when the sun begins its western descent, it reflects the light on the inner side of the visor, projecting additional light on the eastern façade. The materials used for the solid works feature the natural colors of the brick, concrete block, and natural washed cement stucco. All of these require minimum maintenance, reducing the building’s yearly costs.

With an adequate cross ventilation, the use of air conditioning proves unnecessary. The architectural proposal includes an open landscaped area, partially covered by the visor, as a contribution to the city’s aesthetics.