About
An open workshop for architecture, interiors, landscape and light — built on collaboration, curiosity, and a deep connection to Costa Rica.
Founders
Co-Founder & Principal Architect
Favourite place in Costa Rica
Uvita Hills — Swaying in a hammock at night on a covered balcony watching a lightning storm out over the ocean. map
Born in Zimbabwe, Richard graduated from Wits Architecture School, Johannesburg in 1997. A licensed AIA architect with 20+ years of experience and 40+ design awards across residential, workplace, hospitality, education, and cultural projects on 5 continents.
Prior to Inverse, Richard spent 13 years at Gensler, rising to Principal and Regional Design Leader for Latin America, overseeing design across 4 offices. He also served as Firmwide Practice Leader for Arts & Culture. In 2011 he received the ENR 20 Under 40 California award for Exceptional Young Professionals.
Design Principal — Gensler Costa Rica
Design Director — Gensler Los Angeles
Architect — Clive Wilkinson Architects, Los Angeles
Co-Founder & Principal Designer
Favourite place in Costa Rica
Monteverde — the cloud forest at dusk when everything turns silver and still. map
Born in Germany, Daniela graduated with a Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Technology, Arts and Sciences, Cologne. A LEED AP BD+C professional with 18 years of experience across office, university, residential, and museum projects in Europe, the US, and Asia.
Prior to Inverse, Daniela worked at two leading design firms in Los Angeles, responsible for design, construction documentation, and LEED certifications across multiple scales and international locations. Most notably, she led the LEED Platinum certification for the Bioengineering Building at UC Santa Barbara.
Designer — Moore Ruble Yudell Architects, Los Angeles
Designer — Clive Wilkinson Architects, Los Angeles
Junior Designer — Gruhl und Partner, Cologne
The Team
Under the shade of a Guanacaste Tree
Inverse Project is a collaborative studio of architects, designers, and thinkers based in Costa Rica, united by a shared commitment to creating architecture that is deeply connected to place. Many of our team grew up here — and those who didn't have made it their own — developing an intimate knowledge of the country's landscapes, climates, and character that runs quietly through everything we design. Our team brings together diverse cultural backgrounds, technical expertise, and creative perspectives to craft environments that are thoughtful, enduring, and responsive to climate, landscape, and human experience. We approach each project with curiosity, rigor, and a belief that meaningful design emerges through dialogue, experimentation, and care. At its core, Inverse Project is defined not only by the buildings and spaces we create, but by the people and shared values that shape them.
Camila Arce
Architect
Favourite place
La Fortuna — waking up to Arenal at sunrise through the mist. map
Hugo Mena
Architect
Favourite place
Valle de El General — Wide open views to Chirripó and rainy afternoons in nature. map
Ciara Vincenti
Admin
Favourite place
Rancho Redondo de Goicoechea — I spent my teenage years here — the mountains, pure open nature, and being around cows and horses. map
Gustavo Herrera
Architect
Favourite place
Isla de Ometepe, Nicaragua — An island in a freshwater lake where bull sharks swim beneath two volcanoes. A sandbar emerges each summer stretching two kilometres into the water. Truly unique. map
Leonardo Monterrey
Architecture & Landscape
Favourite place
Monteverde — Untouched cloud forest, amazing sunsets, abundant wildlife. Alive but peaceful. map
Luis Corea
Architect
Favourite place
San Juan de Chicuá — Best sunsets in Costa Rica. Cold climate vegetation, always cold but sunny. map
Rudy Schlager
Architect
Favourite place
Trails — A break from routine to connect with nature, breathe fresh air, and generate new ideas.
David Rockbrand
Architect
Favourite place
Playa Grande — Amazing sunsets, chill vibes, surfing community, Estuary... map
Mario Umaña
BIM Specialist
Favourite place
Green Fields — Áreas extensas de vegetación verde, pasto y cultivos que transmiten frescura y amplitud.
Cristina Lacayo
Interior Designer
Favourite place
Punta Uva — One of the most stunning, peaceful beaches I've visited — lush vegetation, unmistakable Caribbean energy, and a place of deep personal meaning. map
Andrés González
Architect
Favourite place
Playa Flamingo — Nice memories since I was a child, spending most of my New Year's around this beach. map
Felipe Solís
Designer
Favourite place
General Viejo — Hidden waterfalls, quiet spots to explore and dirt jumps for bikes. A place to spend time with family and lifelong friends. map
Lucía Flores
Architect
Favourite place
Manzanillo — I love the natural shade from lush trees right by the water, paired with the area's incredible local food. map
Kenia Barboza
Designer
Favourite place
Cerro de la Muerte — Any place with these views and weather is just perfect. map
Alexander Morera
Designer
Favourite place
Monteverde — Misty cloud forest, zip lines flying over the treetops at Extreme Park, and views that stay with you. map
Juan Carlos Herra
BIM Specialist
Favourite place
Cerros de Escazú — Because they've been like my playground since childhood. map
Gimena Cascante
Landscape & Lighting Designer
Favourite place
Osa — I love how you're surrounded by greenery all year. It immerses you in nature, and you can feel your lungs fill with pure, fresh air. map
Marianela Sánchez
Architect
Favourite place
Cahuita — Because of the connection with nature, the people, the culture, and the music. map
Diana Urrutia
Designer
Favourite place
El Tirol de Heredia — A place that holds some of my most cherished memories, surrounded by nature, wildlife and a comforting atmosphere. map
Aldo Ruiz
Data Analytics
Favourite place
Santa Teresa — Bohemian beach town with unreal sunsets, hiking trails, and overall my go to place to retreat with friends. map
Origins
Richard and Daniela moved to Costa Rica from Los Angeles in 2013 when Richard accepted a transfer position at Gensler. What began as a relocation became a transformation — the tropical climate, the culture, and the extraordinary landscapes of Costa Rica reshaped their understanding of what architecture could be.
Inverse Project grew from that shift. The firm's name reflects a fundamental inversion of the conventional design process: starting with the environment, not the blueprint, and letting the site generate the architecture.
The Workspace
Our studio is designed for collaboration — open tables, pinned drawings, models in progress. Every discipline works side by side, which means a structural idea from the architects can immediately inform the lighting approach, and a material choice from the interior team can reshape the landscape plan.
We invest heavily in learning. Weekly reviews, cross-discipline crits, and shared research sessions are part of how we work. Junior team members present alongside senior ones. The best idea wins, regardless of where it comes from.
Birthdays are taken seriously. So are Friday lunches, impromptu gatherings around the studio fridge, and any excuse to celebrate the people who make the work possible. The culture here is one of the things we're most proud of.
Our Process
Every project is fully modelled in three dimensions from the earliest design stages. This isn't just for presentation — it's how we design. Spatial relationships, sun angles, material transitions and structural logic are all resolved in the model before anything goes to construction.
We walk clients through their buildings before they're built. Using VR headsets in the studio, clients can experience the scale of a room, the quality of natural light at different times of day, and the feel of moving from space to space — all from the model. It transforms how decisions get made.
Our 3D printer runs constantly. Physical models are a central part of how we communicate ideas — with clients, with contractors, and with each other. There's something irreplaceable about holding a building in your hands. The scale, the shadow, the weight of a wall — a model makes it real in a way a screen never fully can.
Recognition
Our work has been featured in international architecture and design publications, recognised for its commitment to sustainable, climate-responsive design in the tropics.
Whether you have a site, a brief, or just an idea — we'd love to talk.
Contact Us