- Project: Makai Villas
- Architect: Studio Saxe
- Location: Costa Rica, Nosara
- Year: 2023
- Area: 1400 m2
- Photography: Andres García Lachner
Makai Villas by Studio Saxe in Nosara, Costa Rica, is a trio of elegant eco-luxury residences that merge seamlessly with their dramatic mountain ridge setting. Designed to embrace ocean views, lush jungle surroundings, and sustainable living, the villas demonstrate how contemporary architecture can harmonize with nature while offering comfort, privacy, and sophistication.
Commissioned as three independent yet related villas, Makai Villas are positioned strategically to maximize panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean while maintaining privacy between units.
The steep terrain required a tiered design approach:
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Lower levels: Bedrooms and pools anchored into sturdy concrete bases.
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Upper levels: Lightweight pavilion-style living spaces elevated into the treetops.
This duality ensures both structural stability and an immersive living experience where residents feel suspended among the jungle canopy.
Design Concept: Integration with Nature
At the heart of the concept is integration, not imposition. The design adapts to natural site conditions rather than altering them.
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Roof pavilions: Distinctive angled forms shaped around existing trees.
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Privacy: Each villa is oriented to create separation while sharing views.
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Light and ventilation: Carefully designed openings ensure constant airflow and daylight, minimizing reliance on artificial systems.
The villas are not simply dwellings but architectural instruments that frame the natural environment, bringing the ocean, sky, and jungle into everyday life.
Architectural Language & Spatial Experience
The architecture expresses itself in contrasting layers:
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Concrete bases anchor the buildings to the hillside, stabilizing the slope while containing the most private functions—bedrooms, bathrooms, and service zones.
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Pavilion-style upper floors float above, made from prefabricated steel frames and clad in lightweight materials. These house the main living, dining, and social areas.
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Expansive glazing provides unbroken connections to the outdoors.
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Terraces and pools spill into the landscape, linking interior and exterior in fluid transitions.
The result is a calm yet dramatic spatial experience, where the geometry of the roofs and openness of the living pavilions echo the dynamism of the landscape.
Materiality & Atmosphere
Material selections emphasize sustainability and tactile warmth:
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Sustainable teak wood clads interiors, softening the steel structure and providing a rich natural aesthetic.
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Lightweight panels reduce structural demands and environmental impact.
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Concrete bases provide durability while allowing expressive contrast with the lighter pavilion above.
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Prefabricated systems minimize on-site waste and construction time.
This thoughtful material palette reinforces the project’s theme of luxury through simplicity and ecological sensitivity.
Sustainability & Eco-Living
Sustainability is woven into every design decision:
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Passive cooling & ventilation: Elevated living spaces benefit from constant ocean breezes, reducing reliance on air conditioning.
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Solar exposure optimization: Roofs are oriented for potential solar integration.
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Minimal excavation: The design adapts to steep terrain rather than reshaping it.
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Durable, low-maintenance materials: From teak to concrete, materials ensure long-term resilience.
By aligning construction with environmental conditions, Makai Villas exemplify eco-luxury—where sustainability enhances comfort instead of limiting it.
Makai Villas by Studio Saxe showcase the power of architecture that listens to its site. Rising lightly above a dramatic Costa Rican ridge, these three villas offer eco-conscious luxury living with panoramic views, integrated natural ventilation, and sculptural roof pavilions shaped by the jungle itself.
More than residences, they are retreats of balance and beauty, where design, nature, and lifestyle come together in seamless harmony.
