About Us
A Practice in Conscious Habitation
We are a new global design, build, and garden practice based in Nosara, Costa Rica. We are an ever-evolving study in conscious habitation and holistic design. We go beyond the typical wipe, build, repeat model of commercial and residential development, designing symbiotic systems that live and interact with each other harmoniously.
Who We Are
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a person of wide-ranging knowledge or learning.“a Renaissance polymath”
We are two polymaths with expertise in varying disciplines including architecture, graphic and web design, photography, environmental science and public health. We are certified in permaculture design and solar lighting. We are also water and sanitation specialists.
Antonio Nevada Martinez
Architect, Photovoltaic Technician, Permaculture Design Consultant, WASH Specialist, Artist
Antonio is an architect with expertise in sustainable and tropical construction. He has spent most of his career in west and central Africa, the breadth of his work located in the Democratic Republic of Congo where he designed the national model for rural health centers for the Ministry of Health and oversaw the construction of 109 new centers and WASH infrastructure for IMA World Health. He now resides in Nosara, Costa Rica where he seeks to be an agent of change as this unique environment is being developed at a very fast pace.
Crystal Stafford, MPH
Public Health Consultant, Designer, Photographer, Musician
Crystal met Antonio while distributing bed nets to prevent malaria in rural DRC. She is a documentary photographer and has recently immersed herself in fine art drone photography. She spends her free time working as the Communications Officer for IMA World Health in central and east Africa. She now resides in Nosara with her two tico children and Antonio (her husband).
Services
Project Management
Building or renovating a home is an exciting adventure. Language barriers and cultural differences can make finding the right team of experts difficult, turning an exciting adventure into a nightmare. Above all, we want to provide a pleasant experience of creating a habitat that meets your level of style, comfort, and budget.
Branding & Logo Design
From simple logo design to an all out makeover of your business vibe, we can walk the path with you to an elevated online and print presence.
Edible Landscapes
This is a practice that we are developing as we go. Why should our valuable land be host solely to ornamental plants? Our yards can be both beautiful and nourishing.
Water and Sanitation
In our home town of Nosara, water is precious and we take it seriously. We passionately promote the practice of closing the water system. Our goal is to make composting toilets accessible to even the most luxury-minded clients. Greywater systems are also a key part of water conservation.
Architectural Design
Whether you want to build the home of your dreams or renovate an existing gem, we can bring your vision to paper and beyond.
Container Homes
We are in the process of completing our first container home and it has been a huge learning experience for us and also a lot of fun! If your dream is outside the box and inside a container home, we are ready to design and build it for you.
Composting Systems
As with everything we do, we see the creation of composting systems as an art form. This is something that you will see every day, why can’t it be beautiful? Or at least blend with your landscape.
Upcycled Signage
The signs are everywhere, why not make them beautiful? We upcycled leftover materials from construction sites and other found items to make unique signage that decorates the jungle we live in.
Permaculture Design
With our experience in sustainable architecture and permaculture design certification, we can create your conscious habitat from start to finish, or we can guide you along step by step at your own pace.
Solar
Ready to take your home completely off the grid? Or do you want to install solar hot water? We make solar panel installations a sculptural art form.
Site and Impact Assessments
Taking the first step to land development can be stressful. The more knowledge you have about your land its surroundings the more peace of mind you will have in the process. Site assessments are the first step in getting to know your land and what is possible. Impact assessments can be done on existing structures to inform how much you could save on both resources and money by taking on green practices.
Furniture Design
Let us design your custom furniture to fit your new home perfectly.
We meet you where you are.
