My name is Octavio van Praag.
I dedicate myself to sustainable and ecological architecture through my studio, Praag Studio. We focus on creating conscious architecture, based on the fact that 40% of global pollution comes from the construction sector. From this reality, we look for architectural solutions that reduce that impact and footprint by using natural, sustainable materials and techniques, while also achieving energy efficiency and efficiency in the construction process, allowing us to live more aligned with the environment around us.

At an academic level, I was trained at the Central University of Venezuela, which has a strong modern architecture approach but also integrates all the necessary bioclimatic concepts to adapt architecture to the tropics without the need for air conditioning. Through cross ventilation strategies, I began to understand how architecture can create comfortable spaces without relying on air conditioning systems, which essentially expel heat outward in order to cool the interior.

I have learned from many masters, including Jostown, a German carpenter who works with bamboo. Once we fully embraced sustainability, we began prioritizing regenerative materials, and bamboo naturally emerged as a key protagonist. Bamboo acts as a carbon sponge, helping mitigate global warming when used consistently. It is the fastest-growing plant in the world, which makes it perfectly suited for the pace at which we consume construction materials today.

Given the current challenges of global warming and pollution, bamboo becomes a key substitute material for those traditionally used in construction.

We also prioritize the use of earth. Raw earth is one of the most suitable materials for several reasons: it is highly abundant, its energy impact is minimal, and it provides an unmatched level of thermal comfort inside buildings. On the other hand, cement alone is responsible for 8% of global pollution. Considering that construction accounts for 40% of global pollution, it is essential for architects and builders to take responsibility and seek technical and material alternatives. We need to enter a transition period between how we currently build and how we can build in the future.

Casa Caña Dulce is a project we are developing in Playa Negra, Guanacaste, Costa Rica, integrating sustainable and ecological techniques and materials to reduce the impact of human activity on the surrounding environment. We use bamboo and raw earth, and instead of cement blocks, we use fired clay blocks, which significantly reduce heat radiation into the interior of the house.

We are also implementing a natural air cooling system through an underground duct known as a Canadian well. This system has been used historically in Europe and Africa to lower air temperature naturally. The duct is installed at a depth of three meters, where temperatures are more stable, and over a length of 50 meters it injects cooled air into the house, reducing the internal temperature by approximately 10 degrees Celsius, eliminating the need for air conditioning.

Additionally, the house features a saltwater pool, which avoids the use of chlorine—a substance that is highly harmful to the skin and eyes—providing greater comfort for users.

Costa Rica is marketed as an ecological oasis, known for its national parks and pristine nature. Playa Negra remains a place where nature is deeply felt. Despite Guanacaste being one of the regions with the highest investment levels in Costa Rica, Playa Negra and its surroundings remain a green, untouched oasis—offering a glimpse of what Costa Rica once was.

Building a sustainable home in this location is an opportunity to inspire others to follow this type of construction.