“We have two local beers on tap. Adrian’s favorite, Papagayo, and my favorite Magdalena.”

Las Catalinas is an outlier. Where many developers would build a row of beachfront mansions - each with a 3-car garage and tall security fence - Las Catalinas has taken an entirely different approach. A series of tight, winding, pedestrian-only streets connect this town to a stunning beach at the bottom of the hill. The homes are packed into dense blocks, to better preserve the precious surrounding jungle by building within a limited footprint. There is no lack of privacy, or jaw-dropping views, either. The orientation and openings of each home are carefully designed to preserve a sense of quiet solitude, while the steep hillside presents a series of postcard-ready vistas over the town below.

Casa Luker is designed with outdoor living as the top priority. The ground floor terrace is bigger than any indoor living space, with deep overhangs that provide protection from the sun and keep things dry rainy season. Each bedroom is quietly tucked away with its own access to the outdoors. A lower-level apartment on the lower level enjoys a separate entrance - via its own outdoor courtyard, of course - allowing the owners to rent out a portion of the house whenever they’d like. All doors, windows, wood columns and brackets were custom-fabricated on-site by a talented group of local craftsmen.

Architect: Via Chicago
General Contractor: Constructora Alfaco
Photography: Sylvia Guardia

Las Catalinas featured in The New York Times, June 2019
Las Catalinas featured in The Wall Street Journal, February 2018