zürcher arquitectos open the andaz peninsula papagayo hotel

zürcher arquitectos open the andaz peninsula papagayo hotel
image © andrés garcía lachner
all images courtesy of zürcher arquitectos

costa rica and panama-based firm zürcher arquitectos recently inaugurated the andaz peninsula papagayo hotel on a particularly challenging 28-acre ocean-front site with a 60-meter difference in elevation from the lowest to highest point. the complex contains 150 guestrooms, 3 restaurants, meeting rooms, show kitchen, spa, and 2 pools in 7 two and three-story buildings making up a total of 22,500 square feet. the architectural language of the structures came directly from the site, from the ecological considerations that assure each room has access to natural light and ventilation as well as views, built using a carefully planned construction strategy to leave as much of the site untouched, especially the existing waterways. apart from the sustainable features of the structures, the overall forms came from the many site visits that revealed all the small details- ‘cocoons, thorns, and seeds’ that truly made up the tropical environment.

image © andrés garcía lachner

using exclusively local materials and labor, the building is the impressive result of vernacular mixed with contemporary design. outdoor patios are covered by bulbous wooden canopies supported by a series of curving glulam beams. many of the spaces are entirely exterior, or reached through public exterior courtyards and patios, each with a view of the surrounding ocean. at the very top of the peninsula, an 11,000 square-foot spa serves as the keystone to the experience of the resort, requiring exploration through the dense forest in order to arrive.

image © andrés garcía lachner

outdoor public space
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image © andrés garcía lachner

image © andrés garcía lachner

image © andrés garcía lachner

image © andrés garcía lachner

balcony under the curving canopy
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guest room
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spa room
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image © andrés garcía lachner

guest room
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image © andrés garcía lachner

suite
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image © andrés garcía lachner

suite bathroom
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presidential suite
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image © andrés garcía lachner

circular stairway creates a nautical composition of form, light, and material
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image © andrés garcía lachner

outdoor restaurant seating
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view from a private villa
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image © andrés garcía lachner

restaurant seating
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restaurant
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pool area 1
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pool area 2
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project info:

architects: zürcher arquitectos
location: papagayo peninsula, costa rica
architects in charge: hazel chang, ronald zürcher
project team: zürcher architects, das design, sinergo
area: 22000.sqm
year: 2013
photographs: andrés garcía lachner