A remote property was sought which offered rural environment traits, where the family’s isolation would be a daily experience. San José is one of the few American capitals where one can live 15 minutes away from the urban center, but still be in a rural environment; where nature, both savage and tamed, constitutes the surrounding landscape. The back creek –dry in the dry season and torrential in the rainy season– can be heard from the house. Families of woodpeckers nest in the old trees, and owls go hunting in the night. In line with my endeavor as architect, circumscribed within my thinking, our home –as all my projects– is located in the midst of places suitable for man’s abode. With this design, my intention was an articulated conception of unitary rooms where each dweller would be at ease with the elements, for the assertion and development of his or her personality. Each room is isolated and independent from the others, opening with broad unimpeded views toward the outdoors. The private rooms are articulated with a unifying community space, made up by places that are different in terms of height, views, materials, and functions.

The permanence in this space by the family members, whether it be in the ground floor or second floor, if not perceived by the others directly, is sensed because of the normal living sounds. Thus, the sense of family gathering is characterized by this space. From here, one has a dual visual orientation toward the hills and valley. In my home, space has been created to harbor the diverse activities of the family.