Perched high above the Pacific coastline in Bahía Ballena, Costa Rica, Ojo de Nila is a house that feels less like an object placed on land and more like a continuation of it. Designed by Studio Saxe, with interiors by Atelier Sandra Richard, the home was created for a Swiss couple seeking a slower, more elemental way of living shaped by air, light, and landscape rather than mechanical systems and rigid enclosures. A clear modular logic guides the architecture.
The presence of the vineyard is the most significant influence in shaping the design concept of the structure. The linear alignment of the grapevines, strategically placed to maximize yield and guided by the prevailing winds in the area, forms an important reference that defines the structure's form. The design concept aims to create an office space that subtly integrates into the dynamic flow of the vineyard.
At first glance, the large buildings in Grentschel appear to be randomly scattered across the valley floor. However, the unassuming Grentschel stream actually plays an organizing role. Each building volume is oriented to the course of the stream and positioned parallel to it. The project adopts this logic, resulting in a relaxed ensemble with fluid outdoor spaces.