Van der Laat & Jimenez Office Building

View of the building from street corner.

Project details

• Project Name: Van der Laat & Jimenez Office Building
• Location of Site: Montes de Oca, San Jose, Costa Rica
• Design Team: Alvaro Rojas, Mauricio Cavallini, Mauricio Quiros, Jonathan Zuniga
• Project Type: Office Building
• Client: Van der Laat & Jimenez Construction Company
• Contractor/s: Van der Laat & Jimenez Construction Company
• Site Area: 1150 sq m
• Built-up Area: 2300 sq m
• Cost of Construction: $ 1000000
• Date of completion: July, 2008

View of the helicoidal stair.

Words from the architect

Addition to existing building to be renovated as part of integral design to respond to new project.

At the time of the early design (2004) one of the objectives was to produce a "modern tropical" office design and avoid flat facades such as curtains walls because we find them anti-tropical.

View of the stair and the clerestory.

The materials for the exterior are concrete tiles, prepatinated copper sheathing, steel plate windows and glass.

Interiors are drywall, prepatinated copper in accent walls, exposed concrete on certain walls and Brazilian slate for floors.

Connecting corridor.

The new building revolves around a central "plaza" naturally lit by a large clerestory with a quarter vault and an elliptical central staircase.

Perimeter offices are enclosed with translucent tempered glass.

Other offices follow an open office plan.

View of the entry at night.

Typical office.

View of central helicoidal stair.

Nigth view of building from street corner.

Credits

• Text: Alvaro Rojas
• Photographs: Rodrigo Montoya, Andres Montero