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A Studio Powered by People who Genuinely Care.

Our team genuinely cares about you and your project. We also bring clear thinking, strong design, and practical experience. We create spaces through collaboration, intention, and a shared vision for quality.

Designing Homes & Spaces in Harmony with Nature

We run this studio with the same level of care we put into our own lives. Every drawing, every detail, every client conversation matters. We do not design from a distance. We design from inside the work. We visit sites, solve problems, and search for clarity together. Our team is small by intention so we stay close to the process and to the people we build for. This is not just architecture for us. It is a craft, a responsibility, and something we take personally every single day.

A Studio Built on Trust, Honesty, and Real Collaboration

We care deeply about the people who trust us with their projects. It is why we stay involved from the first idea until the last detail on site. We work as a team that listens, challenges, and thinks with intention. Nothing is rushed and nothing is copied. Every project gets our full attention, and every client gets the truth, even when it is the harder thing to say. We believe great architecture comes from real collaboration, clear thinking, and showing up with genuine commitment every day.
Team
Founder, Architect & Client Relations

Rhina Portillo

Team
Design Architect

Fabian Mena

Team
Founder & Technical Lead Architect

Matt Usher

Team
Design Architect

Rafael Lopez

Team
Project Manager

Juan Diego Salas

Team
Project Architect & Interiors

Alisson Cespedes

Team
Project Architect & Inspection

Randall Diaz

Team
Electro-Mechanical Engineer

Christian Jimenez

About Us

Hi! We are Rhina and Matt, a married couple of architects with kids and a dog. Rhina is from Costa Rica, while Matt originates from Austria. We strive to combine meticulous attention to detail and high-quality standards with a focus on comfort and warmth in our designs. As family, homeowners, rental owners, and business owners ourselves, we understand our clients' manifold challenges and aspirations. We strive to assist them where we can with their projects here in beautiful Costa Rica.

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Q&A

Frequent Questions About Our Studio & Our Work

While every project and client is unique, we have gathered a set of frequently asked questions along with their corresponding answers.

Why work with Studio Octava?

We invest time in understanding our clients, leveraging their project goals and personal aspirations to guide our design work. We do not impose our own agenda or aspirations onto your project. The outcome is a project that perfectly aligns with our clients and their families.

We alleviate the stress and complexity of navigating the permitting process.

We oversee all phases of the design, quoting, and construction process on behalf of our clients.

We are passionate about what we do, knowledgeable in our field, and dedicated to fulfilling our clients’ ambitions.

Our typical way of working is through a comprehensive architectural package contract. This includes schematic design, technical design (including all engineering work) and permitting, overseeing the bidding process, and providing technical guidance during construction.

However, we are open to customizing our services to meet specific requirements, as long as all involved parties have a clear understanding of their roles and deliverables from the start

All project inquiries are evaluated on an individual basis. We do not impose any size or budget restrictions on our project enquiries. Instead, we prefer to gather information about the project, the clients, and their objectives, which helps us make an informed decision to proceed based on various factors.

Our fees will vary for each project based on its unique brief, size, and complexity. For a full service, including concept development through to completion, the typical fee range is 6-12% of the built cost.

Construction costs fluctuate based on factors such as style, terrain, finish level, and desired features. Presently, a mid-specification new build on a suitable site in Costa Rica falls within the range of approximately $1500-2200/m2. However, costs can escalate beyond the standard pricing due to high-end fittings, complex topography, the requirement to run infrastructure to a site, and unstable ground conditions. If you would like to know more about this topic we have some more comprehensive content on our blog such as the article 

> The Cost of Building in Costa Rica

We are proud to offer our exceptional services throughout the beautiful country of Costa Rica. Our projects are primarily located along the stunning Pacific coast, including popular destinations such as Nosara, Tamarindo, Santa Teresa, Uvita, and Ojochal. While our dedicated team is primarily based in San Jose for convenient access to various providers and to reach all destinations, we can also be met on short notice in Nosara or Uvita. Just give us a call or shoot us a message.

This will largely depend on the project and the client. For a typical custom home of around 500m2, we would anticipate spending 1-2 months in the schematic phase and 2-3 months in the technical design and tendering phase, while the construction process generally takes around 8-12 months.