Riochante Community Center

The Costa Rica study abroad project consisted of taking an abandoned structure and redesigning it into a community center. The existing structure featured a main house with a multipurpose space, two bedrooms for caretakers, a kitchen, and an attached porch. Our design implemented a second floor with a private apartment, kitchen, an extra room for guests, and a computer lab. The first floor had the opportunity to be used for community activities such as
samba drumming, yoga, and rock climbing. There would also be an added classroom and a double-heighted art space. Maintaining the separate kitchen property lines, we reconfigured the interior based on the Monteverde Institute’s model, incorporating a clerestory/sawtooth roof for optimal ambient lighting. The sloping topography was addressed with terrace benched landscaping featuring a native plant to enhance water absorption during heavy rain.

Professor: Stephanie Cramer and Randy Fernado
Collaborator: Julia Ferone, Hannah Ruth, Nicholas Frantzekos, and Juan Romero Vazquez