Combining modern minimalism with sustainable design can result in homes that are both unique and efficient. That is just what you get with the fabulous Ethos House in Carrillo de Guanacaste, Costa Rica as QBO3 Arquitectos turned a densely wooded lot into an inviting, modern green home. The guiding principle behind the silhouette of the residence was an ability to withstand rough weather conditions along with the need for a home that required minimum maintenance. With the homeowners being away for many weeks at a time, architects chose a modern brutalist style where concrete plays the central role.
Central courtyard of the house preserves existing trees without feeling out of place
Preserving as many trees on the lot as possible and working around a few of them to incorporate them into the central courtyard, bedroom and living space was the trickiest part of the project. With the new additions feeling like an extension of the original, the transition between both the spaces is just seamless. Metallic bars, wooden slats and curated wooden finishes add textural contrast to the setting while large glass windows connect the interior with all the greenery outside. Contemporary, eco-friendly and functional, this Costa Rican home stands out from the crowd!
Contemporary Ethos House in Costa Rica with its minimalist exterior in reinforced concrete
Custom entry of the home combines concrete with a hint of wood and metal
Entry of the home welcomes you in an understated manner
Filtered light and lovely views fashion this fabulous modern bedroom
Greenery around the home makes the biggest impact at this Costa Rica home
Minimal concrete and metal interior of the modern Costa Rica home
Nature, minimalism and practicality shape the sturdy and weather-resistant exterior of the house
Sustainable design of the home offers scope for greenery to co-exist with the building structure
Brutalist design of the exterior was created to meet the specific needs of the homeowner
Floor plan of the first level of Casa Ethos designed by QBO3 Arquitectos
Second level floor plan of Casa Ethos in Costa Rica
You're reading Ethos House: Modern Brutalist Architecture at its Sustainable Best, originally posted on Decoist. If you enjoyed this post, be sure to follow Decoist on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest.
![Central-courtyard-of-the-house-perseves-existing-tree-without-feeling-out-of-place-66621 Central-courtyard-of-the-house-perseves-existing-tree-without-feeling-out-of-place-66621](https://cdn.decoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Central-courtyard-of-the-house-perseves-existing-tree-without-feeling-out-of-place-66621.jpg)
Central courtyard of the house preserves existing trees without feeling out of place
![Contemporary-Ethos-House-in-Costa-Rica-with-its-minimalist-exterior-in-reinforced-concrete-76724-217x155 Contemporary-Ethos-House-in-Costa-Rica-with-its-minimalist-exterior-in-reinforced-concrete-76724-217x155](https://cdn.decoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Contemporary-Ethos-House-in-Costa-Rica-with-its-minimalist-exterior-in-reinforced-concrete-76724-217x155.jpg)
![Entry-of-the-home-welcomes-you-in-an-understated-manner-57302-217x155 Entry-of-the-home-welcomes-you-in-an-understated-manner-57302-217x155](https://cdn.decoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Entry-of-the-home-welcomes-you-in-an-understated-manner-57302-217x155.jpg)
![Custom-entry-of-the-home-combines-concrete-with-a-hint-of-wood-and-metal-33138-217x155 Custom-entry-of-the-home-combines-concrete-with-a-hint-of-wood-and-metal-33138-217x155](https://cdn.decoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Custom-entry-of-the-home-combines-concrete-with-a-hint-of-wood-and-metal-33138-217x155.jpg)
![Greenery-around-the-home-makes-the-biggest-impact-at-this-Costa-Rica-home-32762-217x155 Greenery-around-the-home-makes-the-biggest-impact-at-this-Costa-Rica-home-32762-217x155](https://cdn.decoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Greenery-around-the-home-makes-the-biggest-impact-at-this-Costa-Rica-home-32762-217x155.jpg)
![Nature-minimalism-and-parcticality-shape-the-sturdy-and-weather-resistant-exterior-of-the-house-77217-217x155 Nature-minimalism-and-parcticality-shape-the-sturdy-and-weather-resistant-exterior-of-the-house-77217-217x155](https://cdn.decoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Nature-minimalism-and-parcticality-shape-the-sturdy-and-weather-resistant-exterior-of-the-house-77217-217x155.jpg)
![Sustainable-design-of-the-home-offers-scope-for-greenery-to-co-exist-with-building-structure-91823-217x155 Sustainable-design-of-the-home-offers-scope-for-greenery-to-co-exist-with-building-structure-91823-217x155](https://cdn.decoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Sustainable-design-of-the-home-offers-scope-for-greenery-to-co-exist-with-building-structure-91823-217x155.jpg)
![Brutalist-design-of-the-exterior-was-created-to-meet-the-specific-needs-of-the-homeowner-22843-217x155 Brutalist-design-of-the-exterior-was-created-to-meet-the-specific-needs-of-the-homeowner-22843-217x155](https://cdn.decoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Brutalist-design-of-the-exterior-was-created-to-meet-the-specific-needs-of-the-homeowner-22843-217x155.jpg)
![Filtered-light-and-lovely-views-fashion-this-fabulous-modern-bedroom-71092-217x155 Filtered-light-and-lovely-views-fashion-this-fabulous-modern-bedroom-71092-217x155](https://cdn.decoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Filtered-light-and-lovely-views-fashion-this-fabulous-modern-bedroom-71092-217x155.jpg)
Preserving as many trees on the lot as possible and working around a few of them to incorporate them into the central courtyard, bedroom and living space was the trickiest part of the project. With the new additions feeling like an extension of the original, the transition between both the spaces is just seamless. Metallic bars, wooden slats and curated wooden finishes add textural contrast to the setting while large glass windows connect the interior with all the greenery outside. Contemporary, eco-friendly and functional, this Costa Rican home stands out from the crowd!
![Contemporary-Ethos-House-in-Costa-Rica-with-its-minimalist-exterior-in-reinforced-concrete-76724 Contemporary-Ethos-House-in-Costa-Rica-with-its-minimalist-exterior-in-reinforced-concrete-76724](https://cdn.decoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Contemporary-Ethos-House-in-Costa-Rica-with-its-minimalist-exterior-in-reinforced-concrete-76724.jpg)
Contemporary Ethos House in Costa Rica with its minimalist exterior in reinforced concrete
![Custom-entry-of-the-home-combines-concrete-with-a-hint-of-wood-and-metal-33138 Custom-entry-of-the-home-combines-concrete-with-a-hint-of-wood-and-metal-33138](https://cdn.decoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Custom-entry-of-the-home-combines-concrete-with-a-hint-of-wood-and-metal-33138.jpg)
Custom entry of the home combines concrete with a hint of wood and metal
![Entry-of-the-home-welcomes-you-in-an-understated-manner-57302 Entry-of-the-home-welcomes-you-in-an-understated-manner-57302](https://cdn.decoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Entry-of-the-home-welcomes-you-in-an-understated-manner-57302.jpg)
Entry of the home welcomes you in an understated manner
![Filtered-light-and-lovely-views-fashion-this-fabulous-modern-bedroom-71092 Filtered-light-and-lovely-views-fashion-this-fabulous-modern-bedroom-71092](https://cdn.decoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Filtered-light-and-lovely-views-fashion-this-fabulous-modern-bedroom-71092.jpg)
Filtered light and lovely views fashion this fabulous modern bedroom
![Greenery-around-the-home-makes-the-biggest-impact-at-this-Costa-Rica-home-32762 Greenery-around-the-home-makes-the-biggest-impact-at-this-Costa-Rica-home-32762](https://cdn.decoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Greenery-around-the-home-makes-the-biggest-impact-at-this-Costa-Rica-home-32762.jpg)
Greenery around the home makes the biggest impact at this Costa Rica home
![Minimal-concrete-and-metal-interior-of-the-modern-Costa-Rica-home-54938 Minimal-concrete-and-metal-interior-of-the-modern-Costa-Rica-home-54938](https://cdn.decoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Minimal-concrete-and-metal-interior-of-the-modern-Costa-Rica-home-54938.jpg)
Minimal concrete and metal interior of the modern Costa Rica home
![Nature-minimalism-and-parcticality-shape-the-sturdy-and-weather-resistant-exterior-of-the-house-77217 Nature-minimalism-and-parcticality-shape-the-sturdy-and-weather-resistant-exterior-of-the-house-77217](https://cdn.decoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Nature-minimalism-and-parcticality-shape-the-sturdy-and-weather-resistant-exterior-of-the-house-77217.jpg)
Nature, minimalism and practicality shape the sturdy and weather-resistant exterior of the house
Years later, it was decided to expand the architectural program of the house to incorporate a new guest room that integrates naturally into the existing construction. The exterior and interior relationship is felt in every part of the house.
![Sustainable-design-of-the-home-offers-scope-for-greenery-to-co-exist-with-building-structure-91823 Sustainable-design-of-the-home-offers-scope-for-greenery-to-co-exist-with-building-structure-91823](https://cdn.decoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Sustainable-design-of-the-home-offers-scope-for-greenery-to-co-exist-with-building-structure-91823.jpg)
Sustainable design of the home offers scope for greenery to co-exist with the building structure
![Brutalist design of the exterior was created to meet the specific needs of the homeowner Brutalist design of the exterior was created to meet the specific needs of the homeowner](https://cdn.decoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Brutalist-design-of-the-exterior-was-created-to-meet-the-specific-needs-of-the-homeowner-22843.jpg)
Brutalist design of the exterior was created to meet the specific needs of the homeowner
![Floor-plan-of-first-level-of-Casa-Ethos-designed-by-QBO3-Arquitectos-48735 Floor-plan-of-first-level-of-Casa-Ethos-designed-by-QBO3-Arquitectos-48735](https://cdn.decoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Floor-plan-of-first-level-of-Casa-Ethos-designed-by-QBO3-Arquitectos-48735.jpg)
Floor plan of the first level of Casa Ethos designed by QBO3 Arquitectos
![Second-level-floor-plan-of-Casa-Ethos-in-Costa-Rica-63418 Second-level-floor-plan-of-Casa-Ethos-in-Costa-Rica-63418](https://cdn.decoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Second-level-floor-plan-of-Casa-Ethos-in-Costa-Rica-63418.jpg)
Second level floor plan of Casa Ethos in Costa Rica
You're reading Ethos House: Modern Brutalist Architecture at its Sustainable Best, originally posted on Decoist. If you enjoyed this post, be sure to follow Decoist on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest.