La Casa de Fuego y Agua

Escamequita, Nicaragua

Program: Guest House
Area: 1400sf
Status: Design Completed 2010; Completed 2018
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La Casa de Fuego y Agua, a 1400SF two-bedroom guest house in rural Escamequita, Nicaragua, is located in a new eco-friendly development south of San Juan del Sur. The site has environmental covenants to ensure eco-sensitive development: low scale, large lots, sensitivity to the elements, self contained waste and recycling systems. The form, a butterfly roof above an open porch, derives from the need to divert water to an underground cistern and enhance ventilation. The program includes intersecting open living and solid sleeping volumes. The spine of the house connects the fire, a solid carved wall with the outdoor cooking hearth, through the collection trough, to the water at the opposite end. The ecological goal is to create a contemplative space within natural beauty; to respect the setting through minimal alteration of topography and landscape while exercising conservation through clean, renewable energy: solar panels, natural ventilation, and cistern.