Under the Nicaraguan Sky
Form, function and modern design have come together on the Pacific Coast of Nicaragua, only 10 KM north of the Costa Rican border in a region known as Playa Coco.
With construction recently completed, the owners now occupy their modern and extremely functional five bedroom, 2800 ft. sq beach house. With as much deck space as living space and a two storey sliding glass wall, gw architecture inc. has made the most of the beach experience for a Canadian couple now residing (part-time) in Nicaragua.
Upon arrival one immediately notices glimpses of the ocean beyond the house before reaching the magnificent 10 foot solid wood double-door entry. As visitors cross the threshold they are immediately immersed in the nearly surreal view of the ocean just 100 feet beyond the property.
It is always hot on the 8th paralell, yet this house is exceptionally comfortable without air
conditioning. With a keen understanding of the wind patterns from the area, gw architecture planned each space to ensure adequate air flow. Even when it is 35C outside, the interior feels suprisingly cool. The entire main floor beach façade slides open effectively blurring the line between the interior and exterior spaces. These design considerations resulted from the owner's desire to maximize the integration of outdoor living into each space as much as possible.
Designing a building in a foreign country presents many challenges but our team enjoys the advantage of many years of experience in Central America; especially considering that one of our partners has built his own vacation home in Nicaragua. This project was especially unique considering that our firm never met the client prior to the start of construction. In fact the program and design phases were executed exclusively via the internet, email and conference calls!
Local contractors were selected and traditional Nicaraguan construction techniques were employed. Yet the finished product is very modern, featuring clean lines, solid surfaces and splashes of colour provided by the owner's art and custom locally-made furniture.
