- Project: Perla Negra House
- Architect: Salagnac Arquitectos
- Location: Costa Rica, Puerto Carrillo
- Year: 2023
- Area: 600 m2
- Photography: Salagnac Arquitectos
A Jewel of the Coast that Blends with Nature
Nestled between the lush forests and the Pacific coastline of Puerto Carrillo, Perla Negra House by Salagnac Arquitectos is a study in mimetic architecture—a design philosophy rooted in imitation and harmony with natural surroundings. Conceived as a seamless extension of its environment, the house disappears into the landscape through its dark façade, slender structural rhythm, and elevated form that echoes the forest canopy.
Perla Negra (Black Pearl) is both an architectural statement and a meditation on coexistence, illustrating how thoughtful design can celebrate natural intelligence and cultural context while maintaining minimal environmental impact.
Architecture Inspired by the Forest
The house is situated among native yayo trees, which strongly influenced the building’s concept and structure. Designed on a modular grid of 5 meters, the home stretches across the terrain in an elongated L-shaped plan that promotes cross-ventilation and spatial clarity.
The layout separates social and private areas across two levels:
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The ground floor houses the living, dining, and outdoor entertaining spaces, all of which open fully to the surrounding garden.
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The upper level accommodates the bedrooms, elevated above the treetops for privacy, natural breezes, and ocean views.
This spatial organization allows the house to function naturally and efficiently, minimizing mechanical cooling needs while maximizing comfort through passive design.
Structural Lightness and Terrain Adaptation
In keeping with Salagnac Arquitectos’ ecological ethos, Perla Negra House minimizes its footprint through a pile foundation system that lifts the structure above ground, preserving existing vegetation and promoting airflow beneath.
The slender laminated wood columns, resistant to marine corrosion, mimic the vertical rhythm of surrounding tree trunks, grounding the architecture in its natural context. The elevated form gives the residence a light, almost hovering presence, maintaining a respectful dialogue with the site.
Mimetic Materiality and Camouflage
The house’s distinctive black façade is both a poetic and practical design choice. The color blends with the forest’s shadows and bark, providing visual camouflage that reduces visual impact on the landscape. This dark tone also lends the building an air of quiet elegance—sophisticated yet understated.
Further mimetic elements include:
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Vertical enclosures and railings that mirror the natural geometry of the trees.
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Permeable surfaces and open ventilation paths that blur the boundary between inside and out.
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Wood, glass, and metal textures chosen for durability and sensory connection to the site’s natural palette.
A Sustainable Habitat in Dialogue with Nature
Every element of Perla Negra House celebrates the efficiency of natural systems. Cross-ventilation, shading, and open-air social spaces reduce energy demand. The elevated structure protects the ecosystem beneath while offering panoramic forest and sea views above.
This home exemplifies the fusion of form, function, and environment, showing that architecture can coexist with the land instead of consuming it. Through restraint, rhythm, and reverence, Salagnac Arquitectos achieves an architectural harmony that feels both timeless and regenerative.
