The Art Villa

Grande Dame Dominates a Royal Canopy

The grande dame in a series of breathtaking jungle villas, this vast, monolithic pavilion cuts a strikingly bold, raw figure within the heart of a fertile tree canopy. In a stunning display of architectural geometry, the open, elemental home features views that extend to the ocean, rooms unencumbered by traditional architectural divisions, and an interior haven that welcomes unwinding within the embrace of handpainted walls, artisanal floor tiles, and clean-lined contemporary furnishings with an elegant retro touch of the mid-century modern.

Suspended high above an ambient rainforest canopy, this flagship home in a series of exceptional architectural villas on Costa Rica’s Pacific coast cuts an impressively dominant figure in a lush sea of variegated greens. Raw and elemental, the five-bedroom home stands as a bold study in concrete, steel and glass, an architectural statement seemingly suspended in the tree canopy, despite its mass and stature. Far from lightweight or wispy, the property showcases a powerful modern design. It’s an elevated statement home where concrete walls are sharpened by walls of glass, and the property stair steps astoundingly across the leafy rainforest canopy, punctuated by a huge infinity pool jutting into the treetops.

The creation of a couple who turned debilitating health news into an energized opportunity to seize life, this villa became the bedrock mansion in their collection of jungle properties envisioned and patiently developed over more than a decade. Years, diligence, and astounding chutzpah found the couple pouring their energies into creating a series of striking homes perched high in the trees above the Pacific coast. A collaboration of architectural audacity and imagination, each of their villas pushes the boundaries of convention and offers an architecturally significant alternative to the more typical jungle canopy home.

Strong and sturdy despite its high perch, this bold pavillon, considered the “grand mansion” of their collection of homes, is at once ultra-contemporary and mid-century modern. It displays a starkly luxurious look that’s angular and open plan, with built-in tropical planters as room dividers, generously open split-level room spaces, spare, clean-lined furnishings, and a long, dominating concrete roof line that juts from its glass volumes to create an outdoor living area underneath. 

Elemental and expansive, this surprising villa for rent in Costa Rica invites deep restoration and long, invigorating exhales—even delighted whoops. Its dark-bottomed infinity pool extends from the living quarters in a strong, watery slash, pushing boldly into the treetops where its elevated views 300 meters over the ocean affords sightings of migrating whales.

AROUND

Inspired by the laws of the jungle, this villa for rent in Costa Rica occupies a privileged perch above the Pacific Ocean within an ambient rainforest, inland from Costa Rica’s South Pacific Coast at the aptly named Playa Hermosa, or beautiful beach. The coastal area is set within the Marino Ballena National Park, created as a safe space for humpback whale migration covering more than 13,000 acres of ocean and over nine miles of coastline. 

Comprised of mangrove forests, deserted beaches, and thriving coral reefs, the area’s beaches are mostly wide stretches of golden sand backed by rocky coves. Snorkeling is popular and offers views of over a dozen species such as stony and cauliflower coral. Sea turtle sightings are frequent, and the home's high perch offers seven months of whale watching, with exceptional views out to the Whale Tail, a sand and rock formation on the coast. 

The nearby surf town of Dominical is famed for its good waves and abundant natural beauty. The nearest town with services is colorful Uvita, a sweet beach community with groceries, a health center, and banks. Immediately surrounding the property, the tropical forest teems with jungle life such as macaws, giant red iguanas and spider monkeys, as well as vivid tropical bird life including parrots and toucans. 

On-site offerings include yoga and fitness courses and private training, a Mayan sauna and massage services, children’s playroom and waterslide, cooking lessons with private chefs, and the possibility to book the location for events, lectures, weddings, and retreats.

LOCATION

Playa Hermosa, Dominical, OSA, Costa Rica. Nearest airport: San Jose.

BEST TIME TO VISIT: August to April