Home » Projects » Casa de la Cultura de Filadelfia, heritage restoration

Casa de la Cultura de Filadelfia

Filadelfia, Carrillo, Costa Rica. 2020

Casa de la Cultura de Filadelfia, render of the restored heritage facade of bahareque and wood facing the park, Carrillo

Casa de la Cultura de Filadelfia, render of the wooden multipurpose hall upstairs for lectures and activities, Carrillo

Casa de la Cultura de Filadelfia, render of the ground floor café with a clay floor and wooden beams, Carrillo

Casa de la Cultura de Filadelfia, render of the open wooden windows that bring natural light and cross ventilation, Carrillo

Casa de la Cultura de Filadelfia, render of the lobby with wooden columns and artworks on the walls, Carrillo

Casa de la Cultura de Filadelfia, render of the upper floor next to the new stair shaft, Carrillo

Casa de la Cultura de Filadelfia, render of the new stair between walls of wood and bahareque, Carrillo

Casa de la Cultura de Filadelfia, render of the concrete restroom volume beside the garden, Carrillo

Overview

The Casa de la Cultura de Filadelfia is a unique heritage building in Costa Rica. Built in bahareque (wattle and daub) on the ground floor and timber on the upper floor, it has been the center of cultural life in the canton of Carrillo for more than a century. It stands opposite the central park of Filadelfia, 34 kilometers south of Liberia, in a dry, hot climate zone next to the Tempisque River.

The intervention respects and renews the original construction. The ground floor gains a lobby, a café and a new stair core. A concrete volume continues toward the restrooms. On the second level, the multipurpose hall for lectures and cultural events recovers its original use with better spatial conditions. The original facade is restored and the interior is improved with daylight and cross ventilation.

The intervention balances heritage conservation with the present needs of a community of 9,000 residents and gives the building back its role as the cultural center of the Guanacaste region.