Light and continuous overhead transparency
In Llorente de Tibás, north of the metropolitan area of San José, lies the Asebanacio Office Centre. This initiative by the Association of Employees of the National Bank of Costa Rica was created to house the association itself, as well as other institutional offices. It currently accommodates more than 200 employees and various departments of Costa Rica’s Ministry of Economy, Industry and Commerce.
Located within a dense, low-rise urban fabric undergoing a transition from residential to commercial and service uses, the building occupies an irregular plot next to the intersection of two heavily trafficked national roads. Taking advantage of the site’s natural slope, two parking levels were built at basement and semi-basement level, forming a podium on which the main building volume rises.
The ground floor provides the main entrance through a small covered plaza that serves as a large urban lobby, defined by an impressive 12-metre cantilever. The building is completed by five full office floors and a final recessed rooftop level with privileged views, offering meeting rooms, relaxation areas and terraces.
The project in detail
This office complex is designed as a composition of interlocking and juxtaposed volumes, none of which exceed two storeys in height. Angled planes, large platforms and cantilevers on the façades, together with precast concrete louvres, help control direct sunlight and reduce heat gain inside the building while favouring the entry of northern light.
An interior courtyard topped by a skylight, conceived as an atrium, organizes circulation and provides natural overhead light and ventilation to the heart of the building, becoming a distinctive architectural feature of the design. The interiors were conceived to create a spacious, fresh environment filled with natural light. Smooth ceramic finishes in neutral tones and white wall surfaces were therefore selected.
Systems installed at the Asebanacio Office Centre
The staircases are given a distinctive character through the use of exposed concrete. They feature Comenza GlassFit SV-1402 railings with tempered glass panels and anodized aluminium profiles designed for side mounting. They are complemented by Handrail handrails, a carefully designed solution featuring rounded stainless steel profiles that provides clean and comfortable transitions while maintaining a contemporary aesthetic.
For the central courtyard, the GlassFit SV-1401 system was selected, also featuring glass panels and a stainless steel finish. Its design, including the aluminium support profile, integrates seamlessly into the building.
The high transparency of the glass used in these railing systems makes the most of the overhead natural light, allowing it to spread throughout both the central atrium and the stairwells, reinforcing one of the project’s fundamental design concepts.
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