ARCHITECTURAL PROJECT: SAVING OLD APARTMENTS BUILDINGS

overall view of one of the buildings after the renovation

What do you do with an old building that’s falling apart? Do you just tear it all down and start
over again?
While that might seem the simplest solution, it is neither the most economical option nor the best for the environment. Here at Aurea Designs, we always have your best interest in mind.
Instead, you can keep what works of the old structure and give it new life.
That’s what we did with these two old apartment buildings near the soccer field in Manuel Antonio. Check out how this architectural project turned out here!

FORLON AND FORGOTTEN: Saving the old

how the buildings used to look before the intervention

These apartment buildings were in horrendous shape when we arrived. Part of the structure had
no roof and there was rust and decay everywhere. It was almost to the point that the buildings
should have been demolished.
However, there was also a lot of sound concrete structure that was still standing strong.
(Concrete architecture is amazing!) So we set to work saving the sound concrete structures and
reinforcing them with new metal structures where needed.

how the structure was gutted before the renovation

A BLANK CANVAS: Bringing the new to life

Once the building was structurally sound and safe again, it was time for the fun part.

I wanted to create a very light and airy feel with the interior design. The buildings are up high enough that they offer a stunning view over the rainforest and the ocean and I didn’t want to distract from that. Plus, I wanted the furniture to be the main focal points indoors.

To accomplish this look, I started with a white canvas. Inside and out, we painted the entire structure a bright, fresh white.

overall view of one of the buildings after the renovation
THE LIFE OF THE PARTY
photo of the interior of one of the apartments through the glass door

Then it was time to bring in the accents. To combine with the rainforest vibe, I chose natural wood looks for most of the furniture, cabinets, etc. For the cushion fabrics, I picked nature colors like blue, white, and green that would blend well with the wood look.

pops of color- blue and yellow-added through the custom furniture
simple and modern apartment kitchen design with white quartz countertops
I use flowers to add color and texture to my designs

We also added built-in wooden planters and filled them with palm fronds and bright pink
bougainvillea for a splash of color.

swimming pool design for apartment complex

We kept many of the adornments pretty simple. The pool deck was the one place where we stepped it up a notch. I chose a beautiful earthy tile with gorgeous browns and tans. I wanted to create a natural space where people could relax and I think we accomplished that nicely!

FROM DISASTER TO DELIGHTFUL LIVING SPACE

I’m proud of the work we did in this architectural project. It’s lovely to use my skills in architecture and interior design to save old
buildings from demolition and create a beautiful space for people to live. Building a habit of reusing the old instead of throwing it away helps us all move toward a more sustainable future!

Terrace photo with ocean view
handrail detail photo of building renovation

Curious to check out more of the projects I’ve been working on? Check out this amazing space I
designed in the Marina Pez Vela! https://aurea-designs.com/projects/barefoot-luxury-guest-center/