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Building a Home in Costa Rica: 5 Design Principles for a Healthy Tropical House

  • Posted by Matt Usher
November 9, 2025

Most tropical homes are designed backwards. We seal them up, crank up the air conditioner and wonder why modl starts...

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  • Posted by Matt Usher
October 21, 2025

Hey, I am Matt, architect and cofounder of Studio Octava. After years of designing and building homes across Costa Rica,...

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  • Posted by Matt Usher
February 3, 2025

Hey, I’m Matt—an architect and co-founder of Studio Octava. My team and I have helped countless clients turn their dream...

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  • Posted by Matt Usher
September 23, 2024

Building a home in Costa Rica is an incredible adventure, but it comes with challenges, especially when it comes to...

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Building Budget in Costa Rica
  • Posted by Matt Usher
September 10, 2024

When dreaming of your perfect home, it’s easy to envision luxurious finishes, sprawling floor plans, and Instagram-worthy decor. But the...

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Beachways Villas Yolanda-9
  • Posted by Matt Usher
March 24, 2024

When talking about building materials in Costa Rica, one question I often get asked is whether to choose steel or...

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Setback Lines 1
  • Posted by Matt Usher
June 15, 2022

On most of our first meetings with new, clients they are surprised when we tell them that there are minimum...

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Waterproofing Thumbnail
  • Posted by Matt Usher
June 14, 2022

Your building and moisture are arch enemies. There is nothing more damaging than water creeping into the gaps and cracks...

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Design discussion2
  • Posted by Matt Usher
May 4, 2022

Hi, I’m Matt—architect and co-founder of Studio Octava. My team and I have designed and built dozens of homes and...

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the anam jetn
  • Posted by Matt Usher
September 8, 2021

So, you want to build a home in Costa Rica?! Well, the wide range of available building materials in Costa...

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