Designing an Eco-Retreat in Costa Rica’s Rainforest

The global ecotourism market is expected to reach nearly €670 billion by 2032, according to Fortune Business Insights. Sustainable tourism is on the rise, as travellers seek hotels and lodging that can preserve natural resources, reduce waste and carbon emissions, and provide locals with opportunities to preserve their local culture, while safeguarding natural heritage and biodiversity.

Today’s travellers are looking for more than just a place to stay; they are looking for gateways to local heritage, untouched landscapes, and a slower, more intentional way of travel. This shift challenges designers to blend comfort with conservation, innovation with tradition, and exclusivity with a genuine connection to place.

The ORIGINS Astral Luxury Lodge, an eco-retreat located in Costa Rica’s northern rainforest, designed by Gensler in collaboration with local architect Mario Aviles and the Indigenous Maleku tribe, demonstrates how architecture is responding to these shifts.

Alexandre Brunstein, a strategist in Gensler’s Paris office, sat down with Gensler Paris’ Managing Director, Philippe Paré, to explore how this new destination embodies many of the global hospitality trends we’re tracking, from the demand for cultural immersion to the rising appeal of slow travel, the fusion of nature and hospitality, and the role of personalisation and technology.

Alexandre: In hotel design, immersive experiences create a more meaningful and memorable stay, ensuring that every element — from architecture to dining — reflects the soul of the destination. How do you incorporate local craftsmanship, materials, and storytelling elements into the design of a hotel to create a space that feels genuinely rooted in its local culture?

Philippe: There are some incredibly simple, yet powerful, ways in which we can incorporate local culture in hospitality design, and we have a few wonderful examples of this in the ORIGINS Astral Luxury Lodge, which will open to the public in November. The lodge was founded by a French entrepreneur who was inspired to transform the property into a luxury lodge while preserving the natural beauty of the surrounding rainforest.

To develop the interior design, our Costa Rica team spent time with members of the local Maleku community, learning about their way of life, their intricate crafts, and vibrant traditional colours. This experience allowed us to better integrate the essence of the Maleku people into the design concept, resulting in an authentic space inspired by their rich heritage.

The team also engaged the wider community in the design process, seeking out craftsmen to fabricate custom-designed pieces of furniture using locally sourced wood. In fact, more than 80% of all the furniture and equipment within the hotel was crafted at the ORIGINS Lodge workshop on the property. Makers were also employed to create handmade decorative objects throughout the lodge, ensuring that every element of the guest experience feels authentic to the place.

This integration of local culture is not only embedded in the design but also in the hotel’s culinary offering. Guests can enjoy a farm-to-table dining experience at El Cosmo, the lodge restaurant, where they can explore the garden where the produce is grown. This type of holistic offering enhances the connection between guests and their surroundings, fostering a deeper appreciation for a country’s heritage.

Alexandre: The allure of untouched landscapes is stronger than ever, with travellers seeking deep sensory connections to the natural world. To create an immersive experience connected to nature, hotel design should blur the boundaries between indoors and outdoors and seamlessly integrate the surrounding environment. How do you design a hotel to enhance this experience?

Philippe: The first consideration should be the location of the site. Thoughtful placement of structures to maximise views, natural light, and ventilation ensures harmony with the surroundings. Emphasising local topography, native vegetation, and natural water features allows guests to engage with the landscape while minimising environmental impact.

Other design considerations, such as opening rooms to the outside and creating outdoor spaces that become physical extensions of the hotel itself, also play a role. The wider site master plan could also be designed to bring nature closer to guests through the creation of modern villa accommodations instead of the traditional super block hotel.

At the ORIGINS Astral Luxury Lodge, our team worked with the client to infuse the design of seven villas to accommodate families, groups of friends, intimate weddings, or wellness retreats. Perched 800 meters high in the mountains, the lodge is located between the Miravalles and Tenorio volcanoes with breathtaking 360-degree views stretching all the way to Lake Nicaragua, offering guests a truly immersive and sensory-rich dive into the natural world.

Alexandre: Slow travel has become a mindset — a desire to savour moments rather than rush through destinations. To encourage slow travel through design, we focus on creating spaces that naturally invite guests to slow down, reflect, and connect with their surroundings. What architectural or experiential elements do you incorporate to encourage reflection, relaxation, and an unhurried appreciation of the environment?

Philippe: Wellness and relaxation should be seamlessly woven into the hospitality experience rather than treated as an add-on. A variety of environments —from quiet, secluded retreats to more social, engaging spaces — allow guests to move at their own pace, depending on their mood and needs.

Slow travel design should also consider neurodiverse needs, including elements like colour, sound, and sensory engagement (or intentional minimalism) to support different ways of experiencing relaxation. Additionally, we’re starting to see a “less is more” approach gain traction, where guests prioritise meaningful experiences over excess amenities.

This could mean reducing reliance on technology, minimising air conditioning in favour of natural ventilation, or designing spaces that promote a deeper connection to nature and oneself, disconnecting from the rest of the world.

Our team envisioned the ORIGINS Astral Luxury Lodge as an intimate sanctuary that encourages relaxation and rejuvenation and offers spaces that encourage both solitude and togetherness, allowing guests to fully embrace nature and meaningful connections. Ultimately, slow travel design is about crafting environments that encourage presence, mindfulness, and a personalised sense of retreat.

Alexandre: While high-end travellers seek hyper-personalised experiences, they also crave seamless, intuitive design that feels effortless rather than intrusive. At its best, technology in hospitality is intuitive, seamless, and nearly invisible, enhancing rather than overshadowing the guest experience. How do you integrate technology or adaptable design elements that cater to individual preferences while maintaining a sense of authenticity and warmth?

Philippe: The most effective applications allow guests to personalise their environment, effortlessly adjusting lighting, temperature, and ambience to suit their mood while maintaining a sense of warmth and authenticity.

Lighting also plays a key role in shaping the atmosphere, and smart systems can adapt throughout the day to create a more natural and immersive experience. Similarly, personalised audio settings offer another layer of customisation, allowing guests to curate their own sensory environment. Beyond the room, technology can serve as a virtual concierge, providing tailored recommendations, curated itineraries, and seamless navigation within and beyond the hotel.

The ability to anticipate guest preferences also creates a sense of familiarity and comfort. Arriving at a destination to find personalised touches — whether it’s preferred room settings, favourite drinks, or customised experiences — bridges the excitement of travel with the ease of home, allowing guests to relax and immerse themselves fully.

Alexandre: The Blue Mind Theory suggests that water has a calming effect on the human brain. How can hotel design encourage a more mindful interaction with its natural environment, particularly in relation to water features like rivers and lakes?

Philippe: To foster a mindful interaction with water, ORIGINS Astral Luxury Lodge is strategically positioned to overlook Lake Nicaragua. The design balances proximity and perspective, ensuring guests always feel the presence of water — whether through sweeping vistas or carefully placed viewpoints on private plunge pools or the iconic, stellar laguna-shaped main swimming pool visible from the restaurant. Throughout the lodge, water is not just a backdrop but an integral part of the experience, encouraging both visual contemplation and physical engagement.

This approach is about more than just aesthetics — it’s about creating a journey of discovery. Views of the lake are ever-present, but direct access is offered in a way that feels intentional rather than immediate. Guests are invited to engage with nature on their own terms, with different layers from the sky, the pools, the valley, and the lake, creating a striking balance between serenity and immersion, where water is always within reach yet retains its sense of wonder.