Pure lines and transparency in a unique setting
In San José, Costa Rica, near La Sabana Metropolitan Park —the largest in the capital— is the Azenza Towers residential complex, a project by the team at Garnier Arquitectos.
An over 16,000 sq. m plot surrounds just over 3,800 sq. m of floor space, freeing up extensive green areas. The complex is comprised of two towers —one to be developed in a second phase— with a programme including 17 storeys of apartments, a 5-storey car park skilfully integrated into the uneven terrain, offering a vast programme of leisure and meeting spaces, in addition to the Club House. The placement of the different volumes on the lot aims to maximise the amplitude of the views, as well as optimising ventilation and natural light, a constant premise in the project.
In the whole of the residential complex, the Club House is the focal point, consciously taking on the greatest formal and expressive load of the project.
With the swimming pool at its feet, the gym on the first floor and a rooftop terrace equipped for yoga, the Club House is set on the terrain, facilitating accessibility and showing right from the start the elegance and simplicity of the lines.
This volume on two storeys is defined by the visible concrete wrought-iron work, materialised on broad horizontal platforms for the different activities, projected on robust cantilevers that provide shade and broad outdoor areas.
A small artificial waterfall from the first floor reinforces the recreational atmosphere of the proposal and contributes to regulating the temperature. The flat-roof terrace has a system of wood laminates on steel pergolas that provide warmth to the complex without taking away from the character of the concrete.
The project takes its identity from the purity of the lines and the variable geometry of the horizontal visible concrete planes, so the choice of railings is key. A system of glass railings was chosen (GlassFit SV-1301, by Comenza) used on the tower’s panoramic flat-top roof, as well as other complex spaces. This system integrates naturally into the project due to its minimalist design and its sober linear execution, highlighting the glass panel supports that contribute to reinforcing the formal expression of the cantilevers.
A visually light-weight system, made with precise cut-outs, which together with the maximum transparency of the glass, expand the indoor areas visually and spatially, helping us capture the outdoor spaces and surrounding views.
Azenza Towers
San José, Costa Rica
- Glassfit Flow SV-1301
