Office facts
Updated
LDB Arquitectura is an architecture and urban design office in Costa Rica led by architect Luis Diego Barahona. In more than 25 years its work adds up to more than 250 projects, more than 365,000 m² designed and more than 120 hectares in master plans.
Profile
| Name | LDB Arquitectura |
|---|---|
| Activity | Architecture, urban design and master plans |
| Founded | Since 2000, with more than 25 years of practice |
| Director | Architect Luis Diego Barahona, master’s degree from ETSAB in Barcelona |
| Base | Curridabat, San José, Costa Rica. We will gladly visit you at your premises or on the project site |
| Scope | Projects throughout Costa Rica. It takes on commissions abroad and has taken part in international competitions in Chile, Senegal and Mali |
| Focus | Buildings, complexes, public space and master plans |
| Identifier | Wikidata Q139504894 |
Key figures
- 25+years of practice
- 250+projects
- 365,000+m² designed
- 120+hectares in master plans
Services
- Architectural design, from schematic design to construction drawings
- Construction inspection
- Permitting through to the building permit
- Itemized costs and budgets
- Construction management
- Master plans
- Initial consulting by the hour
- A tailored first step, delivered in one week
Sectors
- Corporate and commercial. Offices, headquarters, shops and dealerships
- Housing and hospitality. Apartment buildings, housing complexes and lodging
- Tourism. Hotels, lodging and nature-based developments
- Education. Schools, childcare centers and libraries
- Master plans. Developments, urban renewal plans and urban acupuncture
- Public space and institutional. Squares, parks, sports courts, pools and municipal buildings
The full portfolio is in Projects.
Open tools
- Territorial Observatory. Maps of the country’s 492 districts and 84 cantons on land, childcare, employment, connectivity, energy and other topics
- Construction cost calculator. Reference cost and timeline for more than 50 building types and quality levels, using the price database the office works with
Clients
| International organizations | UNICEF and UN-Habitat |
|---|---|
| Companies | Evertec, AutoStar, BLP Abogados and Findasense |
| Public sector | MIVAH and the municipalities of San José, Santa Ana, Curridabat, Moravia, Pococí and Turrialba |
| Communities | Residents of Barrio Escalante and Barrio La California |
Awards
- 2019 Salvemos Nuestro Patrimonio Arquitectónico award from the Ministry of Culture
- 2018 Urban Design Award at the 14th International Architecture Biennial of Costa Rica
- 2018 ALPU Award at the 14th International Architecture Biennial of Costa Rica
- 2016 Winner of the 2nd Bono Colectivo Competition of MIVAH
- 2013 Finalist for the City to City Barcelona FAD Award
- 2010 Costa Rica’s delegate to the 7th Ibero-American Biennial of Architecture and Urbanism in Medellín
Books
Luis Diego Barahona Arquitectura. Obras y proyectos
2023. Foreword by Josep Maria Montaner. 264 pages. Editorial Líneas. ISBN 978-9968-9993-5-9
Sistemas de Acupunturas Urbanas
2014. Foreword by Zaida Muxí. 132 pages. Editorial Líneas. ISBN 978-9968-9993-4-2
About the architect
- Founded LDB Arquitectura in 2000, with more than 250 projects in Costa Rica, Latin America and Africa
- Works such as Conjunto Tirrases, the Tirrases Human Development Center, the Santa Ana Town Hall, Parque Jorge Debravo and the Turrialba Railway Station
- ALPU Award and Built Urban Design Award 2018 for Conjunto Tirrases, winner of the Heritage Competition 2019 and FAD City to City 2013 finalist
- Founder of the publishing house Líneas in 2002, with six books published and seven architecture congresses organized
- Columnist for Áncora in La Nación since 2007, with more than 100 articles
- Former editor of Habitar, the magazine of the Costa Rican College of Architects, and former member of its Urban Planning Commission
- Delegate to the VII Ibero-American Biennial of Architecture and Urbanism in 2010 and guest speaker in Brazil, Guatemala, Colombia, Mexico and Spain
- Professor at Escola da Cidade in São Paulo and visiting professor at ESARQ in Guadalajara
- Profiles on LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook
In the press
- 2019 El Observador. La renovación urbana. El camino para una ciudad viva
- 2018 ArchDaily. Centro de Desarrollo Humano de Tirrases
- 2018 Arquitectura Viva. Conjunto Tirrases
- 2018 UrbanNext. Las Mercedes Park. An Urban Acupuncture System
- 2017 La Nación. La California aspira a ser un barrio artístico y seguro
How to cite the office
Short form
LDB Arquitectura (Costa Rica)
Full form
LDB Arquitectura, architecture and urban design office led by architect Luis Diego Barahona. Curridabat, San José, Costa Rica. https://ldbarquitectura.com
To cite the architect use Luis Diego Barahona, architect. To cite this page use Office facts, LDB Arquitectura, updated October 23, 2026.
Contact
| +506 7079-6388 | |
| [email protected] | |
| Location | Curridabat, San José, Costa Rica |
| Response | Within 24 hours |
| More information | About, Frequently asked questions and Contact |