Arboreal Platform in Costa Rica

Low-impact timber rainforest center

Arboreal Platform in Costa Rica

Low-impact timber rainforest center

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    Global finalist entry 2015 - Arboreal Platform: Low-impact timber rainforest center

    By using vernacular techniques and standard dimensions of the entities, the assembly of the "Arboreal Platform" can be handled by the local workforce, benefiting the community.

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    Global finalist entry 2015 - Arboreal Platform: Low-impact timber rainforest center

    Outside view: The platform as guardian around the tropical forest, acting as a monitoring station of the surrounding area.

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    Global finalist entry 2015 - Arboreal Platform: Low-impact timber rainforest center

    The initial sketch shows how the "Arboreal Platform" is taking advantage of the site's topography by standing on an elevated site, providing a low cost passive and active system for the internal climate comfort of the structure.

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    Project entry 2014 Latin America – Arboreal Platform: Low-impact timber rainforest center, Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí, Costa Rica

    Arboreal platform: The new headquarters building for Fundecor will be a reflection of the history, traditions and construction techniques that subtly manifest in the place. The new wooden structure is based on the logic of settlement that has been present around the site for generations.

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    Project entry 2014 Latin America – Arboreal Platform: Low-impact timber rainforest center, Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí, Costa Rica

    Initial sketch and site plan: Relation of the site to its surrounding territory.

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    Project entry 2014 Latin America – Arboreal Platform: Low-impact timber rainforest center, Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí, Costa Rica

    Minimal impact on the ground.

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    Project entry 2014 Latin America – Arboreal Platform: Low-impact timber rainforest center, Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí, Costa Rica

    Program organization by activity.

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    Project entry 2014 Latin America – Arboreal Platform: Low-impact timber rainforest center, Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí, Costa Rica

    Detail of constructive elements.

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    Project entry 2014 Latin America – Arboreal Platform: Low-impact timber rainforest center, Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí, Costa Rica

    Building features.

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    Project entry 2014 Latin America – Arboreal Platform: Low-impact timber rainforest center, Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí, Costa Rica

    Assembly parts; Study models.

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    Project entry 2014 Latin America – Arboreal Platform: Low-impact timber rainforest center, Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí, Costa Rica

    Interior atmosphere.

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    Project entry 2014 Latin America – Arboreal Platform: Low-impact timber rainforest center, Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí, Costa Rica

    Pedestrian approach to the platform.

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    Project entry 2014 Latin America – Arboreal Platform: Low-impact timber rainforest center, Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí, Costa Rica

    The inner courtyard: A protected forest.

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    Holcim Awards Latin America 2014 – Prize handover ceremony

    Holcim Awards Silver presentation for “Arboreal Platform, Low-impact timber rainforest center” in Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí, Costa Rica (l-r): Manrique Arrea, CEO Holcim Costa Rica; Eduardo Kretschmer, CEO Holcim Mexico; project authors Izbeth Mendoza and Román Cordero, PLUG Architecture, Mérida, Mexico; Andreas Leu, Member of the Executive Committee of Holcim Ltd, responsible for Latin America.

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    Holcim Awards Latin America 2014 – Prize handover ceremony

    Celebrating the Holcim Awards main prize winners (l-r): Julio Amezcua and Francisco Pardo, AT103, Mexico (Bronze); Luis Tombé, Colectivo 720, Colombia; Juan Calle Restrepo, Empresas Públicas de Medellín, Colombia; Mario Camargo, Colectivo 720, Colombia (Gold); Izbeth Mendoza and Román Cordero, PLUG Architecture, Mexico (Silver).

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    Holcim Awards Latin America media briefing, Medellín, Colombia

    Román Cordero, PLUG architecture, Mérida, Mexico – Holcim Awards Silver winner for “Arboreal Platform: Low-impact timber rainforest center” in Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí, Costa Rica.

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    “Sustainability? A site specific approach” – Román Jesús Cordero Tovar

    Román Jesús Cordero Tovar of PLUG architecture in Mexico thinks the importance of site is paramount: considering culture, economy and connecting with landscape and the environment. “Arboreal Platform: Low-impact timber rainforest center” in Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí, Costa Rica won the Holcim Awards Silver addresses a broad spectrum of complex environmental parameters to create a simple and seemingly self-evident building.

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    Feature interview – Arboreal Platform: Low-impact timber rainforest center, Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí, Costa Rica

    “An important part of our practice, in parallel to teaching and researching, is taking part in competitions that focus on themes of landscape and territory. This competition fit perfectly to put in to practice our architectural research and theoretical discourse.” – (l-r): Román Cordero and Izbeth Mendoza, PLUG architecture, Mexico

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    Project entry 2014 Latin America – Arboreal Platform: Low-impact timber rainforest center, Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí, Costa Rica

    Román Jesús Cordero Tovar and Izbeth Katia Mendoza Fragoso

  • Awards Silver 2014–2015 Latin America

The 720 sq m facility informs about woodlands management and benefits forestry services generate, while promoting environmental conservation.

By Román Jesús Cordero Tovar - PLUG architecture, Mérida, Mexico and

The Costa Rican NGO Fundecor, which is dedicated to sustainable rainforest management, plans to build a new headquarters situated in the rainforest. Raised on wooden stilts, it hovers above the rolling green terrain. Four wings of the building enclose an atrium in which a grove of trees has been conserved – as a built symbol of forest protection.

Arboreal Platform

Project authors

  • Holcim Awards Latin America 2014 – Prize handover ceremony
    Román Jesús Cordero Tovar

    PLUG architecture

  • Holcim Awards Latin America 2014 – Prize handover ceremony
    Izbeth Katia Mendoza Fragoso

    PLUG architecture

A broad spectrum of complex environmental parameters is addressed to create a simple and seemingly self-evident building, a straightforward structure that is nonetheless poetic in its expression. Holcim Awards 2014 jury for Latin America

Project entry 2014 Latin America – Arboreal Platform: Low-impact timber rainforest center, Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí, Costa Rica

The inner courtyard: A protected forest.

Project updates

November 01, 2023 | Project Update - Ecogradia Blog | Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí, Costa Rica

A breathing lab as a symbol of sustainable rainforest management

Global finalist entry 2015 - Arboreal Platform: Low-impact timber rainforest center

FUNDECOR, a non-governmental outfit overseeing the sustainable development and management of Costa Rica’s rainforests since 1989, is looking to occupy a new signature headquarters in Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí.

The concept for the 720 sqm facility from the Mexico-based firm PLUG Architecture won the Holcim Awards 2014 Silver for Latin America. Nested in a slanted wooden patch with minimal environmental impact, the building is devised as a ‘breathing lab’: a center where experts can engage local communities in the preservation of their national resources.

Read full article
October 02, 2014 | Media Release | Medellín, Colombia

Sustainability as common-sense: Silver for a low-impact timber rainforest center

Holcim Awards Latin America 2014 – Prize handover ceremony

The headquarters of Fundación para el Desarrollo de la Cordillera Volcánica Central in Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí, Costa Rica, received the silver award. Román Cordero from PLUG architecture in Mexico designed an elevated wooden structure that is sensitive to its context and uses low-cost passive and active systems to minimize its environmental footprint. The wooden structure is covered by a roof constructed with panels made of recycled aluminum milk packages.

Read full article
July 05, 2014 | Regional Jury Report – Latin America | San José, Costa Rica

“Addressing a broad spectrum of complex environmental parameters in a straightforward and poetic expression.”

Project entry 2014 Latin America – Arboreal Platform: Low-impact timber rainforest center, Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí, Costa Rica

The jury greatly appreciates the project’s general posture vis-à-vis sustainable development, one giving due credit to an understanding of sustainability as a “common sense” culture and contributing to an architecture based on fundamental principles.

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March 30, 2014 | Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí, Costa Rica

Project Entry

Project entry 2014 Latin America – Arboreal Platform: Low-impact timber rainforest center, Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí, Costa Rica

The design for the headquarters of the Fundación para el Desarrollo de la Cordillera Volcánica Central (Fundecor) in Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí, Costa Rica is appropriately located in the midst of a forest. The nonprofit organization aims to “contribute to sustainable management of natural resources and improve quality of life” in rainforest regions. Accordingly, the knowledge center will inform its users about the management of woodlands and the benefits to develop an economy dependent on forestry services, while promoting environmental conservation.

Read full article

Related information

Related information

Location

pin Heredia Province, Puerto Viejo de Sarapiqui, Costa Rica

Heredia Province, Puerto Viejo de Sarapiqui, Costa Rica

News

Global finalist entry 2015 - Arboreal Platform: Low-impact timber rainforest center

Project Update

A breathing lab as a symbol of sustainable rainforest management

Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, Costa Rica

Feature interview – Arboreal Platform: Low-impact timber rainforest center, Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí, Costa Rica

Feature Interview

“A symbol of forest protection”

Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí, Costa Rica

Global finalist entry 2015 - Arboreal Platform: Low-impact timber rainforest center

Global finalist entry

Puerto Viejo de Sarapiqui, Costa Rica

Exhibition

Zurich, Switzerland

Global Gold Awards 2015 prize handover – Articulated Site: Water reservoirs as public park, Medellín, Colombia

4th Holcim Awards Competition

Global Holcim Awards winners announced April 20

Zurich, Switzerland

“Sustainability? A site specific approach” – Román Jesús Cordero Tovar

Video – Project Author

“Sustainability? A site specific approach” – Román Cordero

Medellín, Colombia

Holcim Awards Latin America 2014 – Prize handover ceremony

Winners for Latin America Announced

Focus on people and place: Top sustainable construction Awards to Colombia, Costa Rica and Mexico

Medellín, Colombia

Project entry 2014 Latin America – Arboreal Platform: Low-impact timber rainforest center, Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí, Costa Rica

Regional Jury Report – Latin America

“Addressing a broad spectrum of complex environmental parameters in a straightforward and poetic expression” – Holcim Awards Jury

San José, Costa Rica

Project entry 2014 Latin America – Arboreal Platform: Low-impact timber rainforest center, Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí, Costa Rica

Project Entry & Details

Project Entry 2014 for Latin America

Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí, Costa Rica

Videos

“Sustainability? A site specific approach” – Román Cordero

Román Cordero of PLUG architecture in Mexico thinks the importance of site is paramount: considering culture, economy and connecting with landscape and the environment. “Arboreal Platform: Low-impact timber rainforest center” in Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí, Costa Rica won the Holcim Awards Silver addresses a broad spectrum of complex environmental parameters to create a simple and seemingly self-evident building.

“Sustainability? A site specific approach” – Román Cordero

Román Cordero of PLUG architecture in Mexico thinks the importance of site is paramount: considering culture, economy and connecting with landscape and the environment. “Arboreal Platform: Low-impact timber rainforest center” in Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí, Costa Rica won the Holcim Awards Silver addresses a broad spectrum of complex environmental parameters to create a simple and seemingly self-evident building.

Arboreal Platform: Holcim Awards Silver 2014 for Latin America

The headquarters of Fundación para el Desarrollo de la Cordillera Volcánica Central in Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí, Costa Rica, received the silver award. Román Cordero from PLUG architecture in Mexico designed an elevated wooden structure that is sensitive to its context and uses low-cost passive and active systems to minimize its environmental footprint. The wooden structure is covered by a roof constructed with panels made of recycled aluminium milk packages.

Arboreal Platform: Holcim Awards Silver 2014 for Latin America

The headquarters of Fundación para el Desarrollo de la Cordillera Volcánica Central in Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí, Costa Rica, received the silver award. Román Cordero from PLUG architecture in Mexico designed an elevated wooden structure that is sensitive to its context and uses low-cost passive and active systems to minimize its environmental footprint. The wooden structure is covered by a roof constructed with panels made of recycled aluminium milk packages.