Gente de Guana: Meet Lucía Castro, Architect

Being  ‘Gente de Guana‘ is to have characteristics that stand out. We spoke with Lucía Castro, an architect who shares her insights about the Guanacaste lifestyle and how this influences her work and designs.

Guana has many inspiring elements for architecture and art; some of them are the incredible landscapes, nature, beaches, gastronomy and without a doubt, its people!

Lucía Castro was born in San José, but her mother is from Guanacaste, which gave her the opportunity to discover all the wonders from the inside. Especially in the coastal area of Junquillal, Santa Cruz, characterized by its peacefulness and relaxed atmosphere.

These elements tend to be part of the inspiration for her projects, as Lucía seeks a balance between the Guana lifestyle and its real estate market.

In this interview, she shares that her passion for architecture stems from helping people. The process begins when the client’s needs are interpreted, achieving a result that brings happiness and comfort using sustainable materials.

Art is the basis of the work of this professional who was influenced from a very young age by her father, who is also an architect.

On the other hand, regarding design, her inspiration depends on the type of project and its context. Each project varies according to its purpose, it is not the same to build a house in front of the beach than in the middle of a tropical forest.

However, natural elements always play an active role in each  design. Being Gente de Guana is a lifestyle because of the fantastic biodiversity, protected areas, wildlife, and obviously, open and integrated architecture that blends all the other elements.

Another inspiration for Lucía is the emblematic and traditional Guanacaste architecture. This one stands out for several factors like using wood as the main material and vents to improve air ventilation, which add personality to the double-height houses.

This design takes advantage of the height to counteract the hot weather of the area. The houses close to water sources, like wells or even the sea, were usually built on stilts to avoid possible flooding.

Besides considering nature and the context present in each project, Lucía takes inspiration from this traditional architecture to adapt her contemporary designs to the market needs, without losing the traditional essence.

Sustainable designs, that help to reduce consumption and carbon footprint, are a trademark. By integrating elements such as natural light and wind, Lucía achieves sustainability through passive techniques in her designs.

Guanacaste is a province known for tourism and foreign investment. But currently, you can find materials and craftmanship in important architectural projects that have been created by local people.

Recently, Costa Rica held the Bienal Internacional de Arquitectura 2022, in which two projects of national architects from Guanacaste participate and win. The first was Casa Magne, in Bejuco de Nandayure, which stood out for the sustainability of its design and the use of wood, thus winning two prestigious awards.

The second is the Waldorf  School, Casa de las Estrellas, in Garza, an innovative educational project, which also won an award. Lucía mentions the importance of these contests and the recognition given to national talent. Additionally, she emphasizes the locally produced materials used in both projects and the integration of nature in each one of them.

Lucía won in the sustainability category in 2016, with a project in Guanacaste.

To be Gente de Guana, you need to achieve the perfect fusion of sustainable, open, and luxurious designs. You can contact her at the email: luciac@me.com.

We also have a property portfolio in Guanacaste with excellent investment opportunities for you!