Three teams of NYIT architecture students had the opportunity to demonstrate their creativity in Costa Rica as part of a competition to develop a recycling and education center.

The students developed solutions for a growing waste removal problem in Nosara, a community on the Pacific coast. They presented their work there in January, then used the feedback to refine their projects.

A group of professors from NYIT’s School of Architecture and Design selected designs of two teams—Duality and MCD Costa Rica—while a third team, Poroso, won via a Facebook poll.

Duality’s design addressed the dry and wet seasons by developing a process to collect rainwater and reduce heat build-up in the facility. MCD Costa Rica’s design minimized impact on the environment by placing an elongated building along the landscape. They proposed using previously cut-down trees and recycled plastic bottles to construct the building. Poroso’s design drew upon characteristics of tropical architecture, such as high ceilings, large overhangs, natural lighting and ventilation, and local materials.

“It was an invaluable experience,” says project leader Tobias Holler, assistant professor of architecture. “They’ll learn about building in a tropical environment, and experience the powerful role that design can play in improving life in a rural community.”

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