Maria Laura Guevara by Maria Guevara

MarĂa Guevara Architecture

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PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Place: Orotina, Costa Rica

Design & Development - O+A

Status and Date: Design and development 2006

Description: Single family house

Area:

4,840 sqft house on a 3.6 acre site

Lara Bolaños House is a one-level single family residence with four-bedrooms and a guest suite with independent access. Energy efficient climatic comfort, maximum advantage of panoramic views and independence of each area were carefully studied for this design. The elongated form was selected according to prevailing winds, sun exposure and panoramic views. Circulation areas and terraces are open to have a direct contact with nature. The bedrooms have crossed ventilation without losing intimacy and, are separated from living areas such as the kitchen, dining and living room.

SIDE (WEST) ELEVATION FRONT (SOUTH) ELEVATION

FRONT (SOUTH) ELEVATION

María Guevara Architecture

REAR (NORTH) ELEVATION

María Guevara Architecture

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Lara Bolaños House

Place: Guanacaste, Costa Rica

This project was the winning proposal in a contest for the design of a beach club located in a touristic development of 900 acres in the province of Guanacaste, in the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica. The club was meant to serve 1,500 residences; however, the building should allow expansion for 1,000 residences more, predicting their expansion in about 10 to 20 years. To solve this issue we created a modular layout, over a crosslink of 21’ x 21’, where an additional component could be easily added when required

Status and Date: Built 2008

Co-Design - O+A

Description: Restaurant, Spa, Gym and Kids Club

Area:

86,000 sqft

2.4 acre site

The project’s form and space were conceived as a vestibule towards the sea. It rises along a central axis that loses itself in the sea, interrupted only by a pool of 230’ long, that flows parallel to the beach. Its buildings are covered with autochthonous materials like local stone, wood, clay tile, bamboo, which along with the composition of its volumes evoke a language of vernacular architecture. Volumes disposition somewhat disperse from one another allow the view to be the main character.

María Guevara Architecture

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Las Catalinas Beach Club

Place: Guanacaste, Costa Rica

This multifamily housing project consists of a segment of a tourist development which includes hotels, houses and a golf course nearby the pacific coast. We were to study the

Status and Date: Master Plan and Pre-design 2005

amount of housing units to incorporate based mainly on the following: saving every possible healthy tree; giving panoramic views of the mountains to each unit; and profitability.

María Guevara Architecture

Co-Design - O+A

Description: Multifamily low rise condominium

One of the greatest challenges was the steep slope that left 50% of the area unutilized. A 16’ x 16’ structure module was created to fit the different units and substantially amend the

Area: 180 houses of 1,000 to 2,000 sqft in a 24 acre site

financial costs. All columns and beams are made out of steel and are identical for easy prefabrication. Secondary elements include lighter materials like drywall and wood.

María Guevara Architecture

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Jacarandas Condominium

Place: San José, Costa Rica

Status and Date: Built 2007

Paulina Plaza

Co-Design - O+A Description: 4 Unit multifamily gated community

Area:

4,300 sqft units 18,000 sqft site

Place: San José, Costa Rica

Status and Date: Built 2005

Description: Retail building

Co-Design

Area:

4,950 sqft building 5,110 sqft site

Second floor

Four houses face each other and are connected through a shared access street that serves as a common central patio. The vibrant façade of each house brings out a sense of mutual integration. At the same time, the interior designs grant privacy and independence with windows viewpoints leading towards independent yards. We chose CMU wall as the main structure and designed it in a modular approach –doing away with columns— and thus optimizing construction timing and costs.

María Guevara Architecture

The building was planned to accommodate three small commercial premises in the ground floor, and a fitness center in the upper floor. Taking advantage of the corner location of the lot and the commercial nature of the building,

sides were completely covered in glass, leaving the metallic structures completely in the open. Parasols and soffits were placed in the western side to protect the building from solar exposure while the northern side was left uncovered.

María Guevara Architecture

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ATYPYK Condominium

Place: Washington DC, USA

Co-Design & Project Management - De Design

Status and Date: Built 2009

María Guevara Architecture

Description: Residential renovation design and build

Area:

5,500 sqft building 15,000 sqft site

María Guevara Architecture

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Argyle House

Place: San José, Costa Rica

Status and Date: Built 2015

Co-Design - Estudio G

Description: Supermarket

Area:

8,000 sqft

The strip mall has a small gourmet supermarket who works as an anchor store, and six additional stores. There is a stimulating ambiguity between wall and ceiling, the purpose was to provide proper lighting to each store while protecting from direct radiation and rain.

María Guevara Architecture

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CONCEPCIÓN Supermarket

Place: San José, Costa Rica

Status and Date: Built 2015

Co-Design - Estudio G Description: Interior Design

Area:

3,300 sqft

Complete interior design for a 3300 S.F. apartment with three bedrooms, a gym and a large social area, whose centerpiece is the kitchen island which is also the dining room, made of beautiful black marble and seats eight people. The ductwork, pipework and upper concrete slab were left exposed. This helped emphasize the character of the other materials used. Granite, metal, glass and black lacquered wood are the main actors of space. The delicacy and perfect smooth wood, the purity of the glass and the smooth texture of marble and granite, powerfully but subtly contrast with the roughness of the concrete.

María Guevara Architecture

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ALMENDAR 3A Apartment

Place: Bethesda MD

Co-Design - De Design

Status and Date: In Construction

María Guevara Architecture

Description: Single Family House

Area:

9,500 sqft

María Guevara Architecture

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BURDETTE House

Place: Bethesda MD

Co-Design - De Design

Status and Date: Built

María Guevara Architecture

Description: Single Family House

Area:

4,800 sqft

María Guevara Architecture

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GLENWOOD House

Place: Middleburg VA

Co-Design - De Design

Status and Date: Conceptual Design

María Guevara Architecture

Description: Production Building and Tasting Room

Area:

10,000 sqft

María Guevara Architecture

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GREENHILL Winery

0'-8 1/2"

5'-4 3/8"

2'-0"

8'-5 1/2"

1'-3 1/2"

5'-4 3/8"

5'-9" 5'-9"

5'-9" 2

2'-1 1/2"

8'-7 3/4"

5'-9"

2'-1 1/2"

5'-4 3/8"

1'-3 1/2"

1'-6 3/4"

3' - 8"

8'-5 1/2"

1'-6 3/4"

3+4

2'-1 1/2"

3' - 8"

2'-0"

8'-7 3/4"

2'-0"

5'-4 3/8"

2'-0"

5'-4 3/8"

4,200 sqft

3+4

5'-4 3/8"

E C

Area:

2'-0"

0'-8 1/2"

Description: Complete Renovation

0'-8 1/2"

Status and Date: Recently Completed

0'-8 1/2"

Place: Washington DC

Co-Design - De Design

2'-0"

0'-8 1/2"

5'-4 3/8"

2'-0"

3+4

1'-6 3/4"

2'-1 1/2"

8'-7 3/4"

Status *and Date: Recently Completed

1'-10" 1'-10" 5'-4 3/8" 3'-7 3/4" 1'-10"

3'-7 3/4"

5'-9"

Interior Design 1'-10" 4

D 4 Description: Single Family Apartment

Area: 4,200 sqft

2'-0"

Place: 8'-7 3/4" Washington DC

1'-3 1/2"

8'-5 1/2"

2'-1 1/2"

10'-2 1/2"

5'-9"

1'-6 3/4"

2'-0"

3' - 8"

WENDELL Apartment 8'-7 3/4"

2'-0"

10'-2 1/2"

2'-0"

5'-4 3/8" C

10'-2 1/2"

2'-0"

1'-10"

3'-7 3/4"

1'-10"

María Guevara Architecture

María Guevara Architecture 2'-3"

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1'-6 3/4"

8'-7 3/4"

1'-5"

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WENDELL Apartment

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Del Rio Condos Place: San José, Costa Rica

Design - O+A

Status and Date: Pre-design 2007

Description: Multi-Family Residential

Area:

Four-story building of 10 units from 1,800 sqft to 3,770 sqft

ACADEMIC EXPERIENCE

María Guevara Architecture

Place: Playa Ballena, Puntarenas, Costa Rica

The project consists of a two-bedrooms two-levels low-budget house for a single family designated for local melamine plantation workers. I incorporated in the design passive strategies for this specific tropical humid coastal climate. Building orientation was planned according to prevailing winds, sea breeze and sun. Proper overhang was stud-

Studio Project UCR

Status and Date: Sustainable design workshop 2005

Description: Single family house

Area:

680

sqft

ied for rain protection and for shade. The wet areas like bathroom and kitchen sink were located in the west for humidity control and as shield for heat in living areas. The house was suspended 3’ over land level for moisture and insect control; also to assuage soil sealing. The main material for the construction would be certified local melamine wood.

María Guevara Architecture

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Ballena Beach House

Moín, Limon is a city with a sheer contrast between the vast wealth of its natural resources and the economic poverty of its inhabitants. As a result, and in order to help out in changing this situation improve, my thesis partner and I grew an interest in this area for our graduation project, and proposed an innovative and sustainable bioclimatic design of a Hotel/School. Our proposal speaks to the need of training students to become touristy and hotelier professionals, opening the door for these professionals to improve their economic capacity and thus, that of the city.

Status and Date: Graduation project 2007

actively blend our knowledge with that of local experts in the design of the project. Therefore, we consciously met on an on-going basis with local partners in the development of the project. The lot has a favorable and strategic location, adjacent in the north to a public street that connects to the main street of the province of Limón and the entrance of the Matina River; in the south to the main railroad and the Caribbean Sea.

Description: Hotel-School

In order to limit the access of vehicles to the project, one single access point from the street was designed. Once in the project, the access point opens itself to the three main core components of the project: hotel, residences and school. By doing this, we were able to design lobbies from all three entrances to stand close to each other, and thus allowing easy pedestrian crossings from lobby to lobby. This helps to promote direct contact between the different individuals.

Area: 60 acre site

Costa Rica San José

Caribbean Sea

Site

MOÍN

Finally, a north-south axis was employed for passage within the hotel, in order to place the buildings in an east-west axis for climatic suitability. The buildings of the project are centered and dampening zones are allotted at the northern and southern sides of the project.

The project combined both the large-scale master plan as well as the detailed design of each of its main components (a hotel and a tourism school with student residences) and subcomponents such as classrooms, laboratories, student housing, guest bungalows in the middle of the forest, a restaurant, and a spa. It was essential for us to

María Guevara Architecture

MaríaGuevara Guevara Architecture Architecture María

Portfolio

Place: Limón, Costa Rica

Thesis UCR - Master Plan

PORTFOLIO

Moín Hotel-School

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María Guevara Architecture

Guevara Architec MaríaMaría Guevara Architecture María Guevara Architecture

Place: Limón, Costa Rica

The main purpose of the hotel reception is to welcome, inform, and distribute clients. It includes a waiting room, restrooms, administration offices and three shops that could consist of a convenience store and a local arts and crafts shop. The hotel reception com-

Thesis UCR - Hotel Reception

Status and Date: Graduation project 2007

Description: Hotel Reception, management and souvenir shops

Area:

3,800 sqft

municates directly with the school, the beach café and with the rest of the hotel. The central volume is taller than the building to stand out its receiving character and to allow the evacuation of warm air. The guests will have the advantage of unloading bags in a covered drop-off area.

María Guevara Architecture

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Moín Hotel-School

Place: Limón, Costa Rica

Moín Hotel-School includes three important and very similar buildings: two are composed of classrooms and one consists of labs and administration. Each building has two stories that meet through a stairs and a ramp. In the labs and administration building, the first level corresponds to kitchen, bar, bakery and computer labs, while in the second level the administration offices required for the school are located.

Thesis UCR - Classrooms and Labs

Status and Date: Graduation project 2007

Description: Classrooms and labs buildings

Area:

3 two-story 13,000 sqft. buildings

The volume of the second level exceeds 3’ from the building’s main structure to work as overhang to the façade of the first level. The ramp and ladders in these buildings are planned strategically to be protected from rain and direct radiation. The open facades that face north and south have wood screened louvers to permit natural ventilation and at the same time avoid insects. The difference in heights of the roof decks encourages ventilation.

María Guevara Architecture

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Moín Hotel-School

Place: Limón, Costa Rica

The rooms are strategically located for guest privacy and direct contact with nature, but close enough to each other to augment costs by excessive circulation of guests and maintenance services. Each room has an independent access, a terrace, a kitchenette, a balcony, and a bathroom with a shower leading to a view of nature. There are three types of rooms: single, double, and for handicapped.

Thesis UCR - Guest Bungalows

Status and Date: Graduation project 2007

Description: Single, double and ADA guest bungalows

Area:

480 - 570 sqft

The openings are made of wooden lattices with sieves to catch insects. The openings at deck-level contain a fixed screen. The direction of the decks in the terrace and bathroom are due to the need for protection from precipitation and radiation. These spaces also serve as a buffer to maintain the room isolated from the radiation coming from the east and west side.

María Guevara Architecture

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Moín Hotel-School

Place: Limón, Costa Rica

Thesis UCR - River Dock

Status and Date: Graduation project 2007

Description: River canal dock

Area: 90 0 sqft

The river dock is located in the river canal at the end of the hotel´s main pedestrian circulation point. It will be used to enable guests to take a boat ride and/or to gaze at the view from the canal. It has public restrooms, a covered common area, and a balcony, which has an altitude of two floors, and thus allows for a unique and stunning view of the canal and mangrove swamp.

María Guevara Architecture

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Moín Hotel-School

Place: Washington DC

Studio Project - WAAC

Status and Date: WAAC Studio Project 2011

Description: Intercity Bus Terminal and Hostel

Area: ____

In a bus terminal many transitions take place. In this case, a transition between Washington DC and other cities, between the city and the building, between the building and the bus, between the dirty and the clean, between movement and pause. The journey and experiences of the different users to, from and around the terminal is also key in the development of the building design. In addition, constant movement of cars, taxis, buses and pedestrians will define the outline of the scheme. The site is a portion of where the old convention center was between 11 St. NW, 10 St. NW, New York Ave and H St. NW.

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BUS STATION

Place: Battery Park New York

Design Competition - WAAC

Status and Date: Design Built. Metal Model and Wood Prototype Built

Description: The Battery Conservacy. Chair Design Competition

Area: ____

Chair for Battery Park should be more than just a resting point for a passing tourist. Although it ought to work perfectly as an ordinary chair, it should also include attributes encouraging other interactions as well. We imagined a chair that was also a desk, a bench, a lounge chair or even a picnic table. Accommodating tourists, residents, and workers, this chair makes a place to rest alone or with others, enjoy a leisurely lunch, or have a small office meeting.

MarĂa Guevara Architecture

Mobius strip within the chair

MarĂa Guevara Architecture

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MOBIUS CHAIR

Place: Old Town, Alexandria

Studio Project - WAAC

Status and Date: WAAC Project 2010

Description: Two Auditoriums, an exterior Amphitheatre and a café

Area: ____

ELEVATION 1 SCALE 18" = 1' - 0"

SECTION

SCALE

= 1' - 0"

SCALE 1" = 40' - 0"

ELEVATION 2 SCALE 18" = 1' - 0"

María Guevara Architecture

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MOVIE THEATRE

Place: SW Washington DC

Status and Date: WAAC Master Thesis

Master Thesis - WAAC Description: Multicultural Housing

Area: ____

The topic of this thesis is about how a diverse community and the feeling of home come together at different scales, the scale of the city, of the neighborhood, of the street and of home. It is also about how architecture weaves these scales to adjust the boundaries of “self ” and “other”. It focuses on how to transition from thebig scale of the city to the intimate scale of home. It examines the walls of home and how they interact with society. Also, it extends the elements of home beyond the intimacy and safety of our bedroom. It embrace mixtures of uses and it seeks to generate diversity. The topic seemed important to me because it is a relection of the constant movement and change of times. Also, it explores the elementes that make a home. It has always intrigued me what is it that makes you feel at home. It sometimes seems that units are treated like garages that can easily park in and out individuals. In these layouts dwellers fail to feel rooted. It is almost as if they are never able to “unpack”. Finally, it serves personal interests. I am one of many young, early professionals and parents from diverse cultures that move frecuently and seek fertile ground for re-invention and to build a home. In my own search, my inspiration and point of reference in this exploration led me to the Southwest region of Washington DC.

María Guevara Architecture

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AT HOME IN THE CITY

María Guevara Architecture

Master Thesis - WAAC

María Guevara Architecture

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AT HOME IN THE CITY

María Guevara Architecture

Master Thesis - WAAC

María Guevara Architecture

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AT HOME IN THE CITY

María Guevara Architecture

Master Thesis - WAAC

María Guevara Architecture

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AT HOME IN THE CITY

María Guevara Architecture

Master Thesis - WAAC

María Guevara Architecture

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AT HOME IN THE CITY