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E

S
U
O
H
I
ISEAM

ISEAMI HOUSE
Architects:
Location:

Robles Arquitectos
Playa Carate, Peninsula de Osa,
Costa Rica
Project Team: Juan Robles, Emilio Quirs,
Andrea Solano, Erick Guevara,
Rodolfo Schlager, Isabel Bello,
Adriana Serrano, Walter Mora,
Allan Calvo, Jos A. Ruiz
Contractor: CPS S.A.
Project Area: 482 sqm
Project Year: 2009-2010

ISEAMI HOUSE
ISEAMI INSTITUTE
Institute of sustainability, ecology, art, mind
and investigation
The house is located at the Peninsula de Osa in
Costa Rica, where 5% of the worlds biodiversity
can be found.

ISEAMI HOUSE
BecauseCosta Ricais located
between 8 and 12 degrees north of the
Equator, theclimateis tropical year
round. However, the country has many
microclimates depending on elevation,
rainfall, topography, and by the
geography of each particular region.

ISEAMI HOUSE
The materials for the house were low
maintenance materials that can
withstand
humidity,
frequently
rain,
The
The materials
materials for
for the
the house
house were
were low
low maintenance
maintenance materials
materials that
that can
can
withstand
mold,
fungi
and
mold,humidity,
fungifrequently
and itsrain,
flora
and
withstand
humidity,
frequently
rain,
mold,
fungifauna.
and its
its flora
flora and
and fauna.
fauna.

ISEAMI HOUSE
The house is located at 30 km from the
closest town (Puerto Jimenez) and therefore
has no access to any public service supply as
electricity or water.

The
The materials
materials for
for the
the house
house were
were low
low maintenance
maintenance materials
materials that
that can
can
withstand
withstand humidity,
humidity, frequently
frequently rain,
rain, mold,
mold, fungi
fungi and
and its
its flora
flora and
and fauna.
fauna.

The house is the main office of the institute


and it will serve as a multifunctional place in
order to host activities as investigation,
meditation, training, Yoga, enjoying the terrace
located in the first level.

ISEAMI HOUSE
Within the chosen materials, the thermalpanels (Versawall and Versapanel by Centria)
are chosen
thewere
main
material for
wallsthat
and
The
for
house
low
materials
can
The materials
materials
for the
theas
house
were
low maintenance
maintenance
materials
that
can
withstand
frequently
rain,
mold,
and
fauna.
roof humidity,
because
of its
solar
reflectance
index,
withstand
humidity,
frequently
rain,
mold, fungi
fungi
and its
its flora
flora and
and
fauna.
structural and acoustic properties and ability
to give the thermal comfort without using
empty spaces on the walls.

ISEAMI HOUSE
Because of the high structural capabilities
of the material, the amount ofsteel structure
was lowered considerably, saving the use of
the natural
resources
needed for
the that
antiThe
for
were
materials
can
The materials
materials
for the
the house
house
were low
low maintenance
maintenance
materials
that
can
withstand
humidity,
frequently
withstand
humidity,
frequently rain,
rain, mold,
mold, fungi
fungi and
and its
its flora
flora and
and fauna.
fauna.
seismic
structure.

ISEAMI HOUSE
PASSIVE DESIGN
o

Elevated 1 meter above the ground

Installation of two polycarbonate skylights

Large overhangs

The use of recycled plastic louvers

The
The white
white color
color of
of the
the house
house is
is aimed
aimed to
to visualize
visualize any
any insect
insect or
or mold
mold
creation
creation inside
inside the
the house,
house, frame
frame and
and create
create aa contrast
contrast with
with nature,
nature,
o
Ideally
oriented
for
cross
ventilation
maximize
maximize natural
natural light
light and
and solar
solar reflectance
reflectance index
index
open
open to
to the
the sky
sky roof
roof design
design

ISEAMI HOUSE
PASSIVE DESIGN
o The white color of the house is
The
The white
white color
color of
of the
the house
house is
is aimed
aimed to
to visualize
visualize any
any insect
insect or
or mold
mold
aimed
to
visualize
any
insect
or
creation
creation inside
inside the
the house,
house, frame
frame and
and create
create aa contrast
contrast with
with nature,
nature,
maximize
natural
light
reflectance
index
mold
the
house,
maximize
naturalcreation
light and
and solar
solarinside
reflectance
index
open
open frame and create a contrast with
to
to the
the sky
sky roof
roof design
design
nature, maximize natural light and
solar reflectance index
o Open to the sky roof design

ISEAMI HOUSE
PASSIVE DESIGN

The
The white
white color
color of
of the
the house
house is
is aimed
aimed to
to visualize
visualize any
any insect
insect or
or mold
mold
creation
creation inside
inside the
the house,
house, frame
frame and
and create
create aa contrast
contrast with
with nature,
nature,
maximize
maximize natural
natural light
light and
and solar
solar reflectance
reflectance index
index
o
open
openThe construction system is based on a
to
sky
desThe
system
is
prefab
to reduce
the construction
to the
the
sky roof
roofmethod
desThe construction
construction
system
is based
based on
on aa prefab
prefab method
method
to
construction
time
impact.
to reduce
reduce
the
construction
time and
and lower
lower environmental
environmental
impact. This
This
timethe
and
lower environmental
impact. This
prefab
prefab method
method can
can be
be an
an example
example for
for the
the local
local inhabitants,
inhabitants, which
which have
have aa
prefab
be
an example
for the
poor
and
able
these
in
poor economy
economymethod
and will
will be
becan
able to
to imitate
imitate
these solutions
solutions
in different
different
scales
with
simple
local
inhabitants,
which have a poor
scales
with very
very
simple materials.
materials.
ign
ign

economy and will be able to imitate these


solutions in different scales with very
simple materials.

ISEAMI HOUSE

OTHER DESIGN FEATURES:

o The house uses water from the forest, which also serves as a power source thanks to two
low-impact hydroelectric turbines that crank 800 kWh
o materials
Solar panels
on
thewere
rooflow
can
provide up
to 10.800
of electricity,
this
energyrain,
canmold,
alsofungi
The
for
maintenance
materials
that
can
humidity,
frequently
The
materials
for the
the house
house
were
low
maintenance
materials
thatkWh
can withstand
withstand
humidity,
frequently
rain,
mold,
fungi
and
flora
and
fauna.
and its
its
floraup
and
fauna.
heat
the
water in the house
o All the materials used in the construction adapted to the natural environmentand is 100%
recyclable.

ISEAMI HOUSE

OTHER DESIGN FEATURES:

o The house can be built piece by piece as a Lego, this is to minimize the use of
transportation.
o materials
The design
create
spaces
between
wallsthat
andcan
ceilings
are
eliminated,
creating
a fungi
The
for
house
were
maintenance
materials
withstand
humidity,
frequently
rain,
The
materials
for the
the
house open
were low
low
maintenance
materials
that
can
withstand
humidity,
frequently
rain, mold,
mold,
fungi
and
flora
fauna.
and its
its
flora and
and
fauna.
benefit
for
the indoor air quality because it avoid the creation of mold and plagues
common in the projects around.

ISEAMI HOUSE
PLANS, ELEVATIONS, SECTIONS AND PERSPECTIVES

The
The materials
materials for
for the
the house
house were
were low
low maintenance
maintenance materials
materials that
that can
can withstand
withstand humidity,
humidity, frequently
frequently rain,
rain, mold,
mold, fungi
fungi
and
and its
its flora
flora and
and fauna.
fauna.

ISEAMI HOUSE
PLANS, ELEVATIONS, SECTIONS AND PERSPECTIVES

The
The materials
materials for
for the
the house
house were
were low
low maintenance
maintenance materials
materials that
that can
can withstand
withstand humidity,
humidity, frequently
frequently rain,
rain, mold,
mold, fungi
fungi
and
and its
its flora
flora and
and fauna.
fauna.

ISEAMI HOUSE
PLANS, ELEVATIONS, SECTIONS AND PERSPECTIVES

The
The materials
materials for
for the
the house
house were
were low
low maintenance
maintenance materials
materials that
that can
can withstand
withstand humidity,
humidity, frequently
frequently rain,
rain, mold,
mold, fungi
fungi
and
and its
its flora
flora and
and fauna.
fauna.

ISEAMI HOUSE
PLANS, ELEVATIONS, SECTIONS AND PERSPECTIVES

The
The materials
materials for
for the
the house
house were
were low
low maintenance
maintenance materials
materials that
that can
can withstand
withstand humidity,
humidity, frequently
frequently rain,
rain, mold,
mold, fungi
fungi
and
and its
its flora
flora and
and fauna.
fauna.

ISEAMI HOUSE
PLANS, ELEVATIONS, SECTIONS AND PERSPECTIVES

The
The materials
materials for
for the
the house
house were
were low
low maintenance
maintenance materials
materials that
that can
can withstand
withstand humidity,
humidity, frequently
frequently rain,
rain, mold,
mold, fungi
fungi
and
and its
its flora
flora and
and fauna.
fauna.

ISEAMI HOUSE
PLANS, ELEVATIONS, SECTIONS AND PERSPECTIVES

The
The materials
materials for
for the
the house
house were
were low
low maintenance
maintenance materials
materials that
that can
can withstand
withstand humidity,
humidity, frequently
frequently rain,
rain, mold,
mold, fungi
fungi
and
and its
its flora
flora and
and fauna.
fauna.

ISEAMI HOUSE
CONCLUSION:
The best description of the totality of the Iseami
House is Nirvana because it is a place where one
Casa
Iseami
-- Juan
(2012,
Retrieved
16,
appreciate
sustainable
living.
TheMarch
architecture
Casacan
Iseami
Juan Robles.
Robles.
(2012, May
May 22).
22).
Retrieved
March
16, 2015,
2015, from
from
http://blogyarq.blogspot.com/2012/05/casa-iseami-juan-robles.html
http://blogyarq.blogspot.com/2012/05/casa-iseami-juan-robles.html
and the interior represents the whole beauty of the
Iseami
Iseami House
House // Robles
Robles Arquitectos.
Arquitectos. (2010,
(2010, August
August 9).
9). Retrieved
Retrieved March
March 16,
16,
landscape.
It
proves
that
architecture
and
nature
2015,
2015, from
from http://www.archdaily.com/72349/iseami-house-robleshttp://www.archdaily.com/72349/iseami-house-roblescan
truly
arquitectos/
arquitectos/ be one.

Project.
Project. (n.d.).
(n.d.). Retrieved
Retrieved March
March 16,
16, 2015,
2015, from
from
http://www.solaripedia.com/13/330/iseami_goes_native_(costa_rica).
http://www.solaripedia.com/13/330/iseami_goes_native_(costa_rica).
REFERENCES:
html
html
Casa Iseami - Juan Robles. (2012, May 22). Retrieved March 16, 2015, from
http://blogyarq.blogspot.com/2012/05/casa-iseami-juan-robles.html

Iseami House / Robles Arquitectos. (2010, August 9). Retrieved March 16, 2015,
from http://www.archdaily.com/72349/iseami-house-robles-arquitectos/

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