SPG Architects were originally approached about the Casa Torcida project in 2005. At the time, the house was an incomplete structure built on a remote Costa Rican coastal hillside. Although prior investments in time, material, and money were put into the project, it needed considerable re-thinking to become a viable and beautiful home. The goal for SPG Architects was to accommodate the needs of the client while preserving the natural landscape.

The architects on the project decided to make the house self-sufficient in terms of energy and water use. By doing this, the builders eliminated the expense of running electrical lines 18 km from the nearest town and avoided the inevitable suburbanization of this remotely populated coastal area . The house has the largest domestic solar array (18.4 kW) in Costa Rica, which provides enough energy for lighting, appliances, and miscellaneous equipment.

In addition, the house features movable glass walls that allow the rooms to fully open so that indoors is completely merged with the outdoors. All the cabinetry throughout the property was created from trees originally harvested from the foundation area. Casa Torcida is yet another example of a visually appealing eco-friendly home. What do you think?