JSARQ has designed this apartment building – titled ONE – in San José, the capital city of the Central American country of Costa Rica. Completed in 2017, the project covers a sprawling total ground area of 4,000 square meters, distributed across ten levels.
While most real estate development projects are designed in such a way that each of their levels is uniformly identical, JSARQ sought to do something different with ONE. They moved away from this idea and instead gave each unit an individuality that would set it apart from the rest. As such, the building was designed from the inside out, providing each home a perfectly rectangular space that would be easy to furnish and decorate, and without wasting a single square foot.
This dynamic quality that JSARQ wished to imbue each unit with is reflected in the outer architecture of the building. The façades seem to move, sliding sideways and back and forth throughout the surface of the building, creating something that is unique and refreshing, and which truly seeks to reflect the inner identity of the structure. Such a design also makes it easier to provide each unit with a unique balcony space. Made out of concrete and steel, the building has a timeless quality that will allow its architecture to remain relevant and attractive for a long time to come.
