For an architecture studio, the most honest portfolio piece is a building you can be invited into, slept in, and lived through. At Alianz Architecture, that piece is Nebulae. Located 15 minutes from Juan Santamaría International Airport in San Roque de Barva, Heredia, Nebulae began as the Alianz Loft, a personal architectural laboratory built by our founder Eric Bogantes at the age of 25, and has since grown into a fully realized multicultural center.
For prospective clients, visiting Nebulae is the most direct way to experience the design language Alianz brings to private architectural projects across Costa Rica.
Why a built showroom matters in luxury architecture
Renderings, plans, and photographs only convey so much about a finished building. Light, acoustics, the temperature of a concrete wall in the afternoon, the way air moves through a covered terrace, all of these are unrecoverable in two dimensions. Most architecture studios have to ask their clients to trust the renderings. At Alianz, we can ask them to come spend a weekend at Nebulae and judge for themselves.
This is a competitive advantage we did not plan for. Nebulae was not built as a showroom. It became one because the architecture works.
The design vocabulary on display at Nebulae
Biobrutalist tropical modernism
Alianz works in a register we call biobrutalist tropical modernism. Honest exposed structure, raw materials, deep eaves, large openings, indoor-outdoor flow, and living plant systems integrated into the architecture itself. Nebulae shows this language at full scale: the Alianz Loft, the Nebulae Shala, the Modules, and the Waterbox each express different facets of the same design philosophy.
Acoustic and sensory architecture
The Shala and the Laureal Event Center demonstrate how spatial geometry can be tuned for sound. This is one of the reasons Nebulae has become a destination for sound healing and music events: the architecture itself supports the experience. For clients designing wellness retreats, music venues, or spaces that need acoustic clarity, this is a tangible reference.
Loxone home automation integration
Nebulae is also a Loxone showroom. Lighting scenes, climate control, audio zones, and security run through a fully integrated automation layer. For high-end residential clients who want smart-home integration done by architects who understand it from the inside, the property is a working demonstration. Read more about our Loxone integration practice.
What clients can experience by visiting
- Stay in an Alianz-designed building: book one of the architectural units as a boutique accommodation
- Architectural tour: guided walk-through of the structures, materials, and design decisions
- Loxone tour: exposed view of the automation layer, with live demonstrations
- Acoustic experience: attend a sound session in spaces tuned for sound
- Conversation with the architect: available by appointment for serious inquiries
How to combine a Nebulae visit with an Alianz consultation
For prospective architectural clients, we recommend booking a one or two-night stay at Nebulae through the Book us page, then scheduling a design conversation with our team via our Alianz contact form. This way the technical conversation about your future project happens after you have physically experienced our work.
Beyond the showroom
Nebulae is one expression of what Alianz Architecture can build. Our portfolio also includes luxury private residences, large coastal developments such as Aura Nativa in Dominical and Azur on the Pacific, the BIG SEE 2026 nominee Corazón de Selva, and projects in Manuel Antonio, Guanacaste, and the Central Valley. To explore the full body of work, visit our projects portfolio.