During the COVID-19 lockdown, it once again became painfully clear how strongly Sint Maarten’s economy depends on tourism. Within less than two weeks, we lost 85% of our work. After several weeks of inactivity, we decided to respond proactively by developing a series of prototype houses aimed at young couples, families.
These prototype homes serve as a starting point for individual wishes and adaptations, while avoiding the high upfront costs of a fully bespoke design. The intellectual property remains with the architect, allowing the designs to be applied at multiple locations, benefiting both clients and architects alike.
We chose Rice Hill Gardens as a fictive test location. This neighborhood has the strictest building regulations on the island and is often perceived as difficult, which discourages potential buyers. We saw an opportunity: by designing high-quality private residences that fully comply with these regulations, clients can build an ‘’affordable’’, freestanding home, while developers can market their land more effectively using approved prototype designs. A win–win–win scenario.
RICA and RICO stand for “richness” in their feminine and masculine forms, while RICI represents the most contemporary, non-binary variant of the design. Each house features a compact yet spacious floor plan and is designed to be disaster-ready. Materials and finishes are adapted to each location, and in collaboration with Studio Vlaar, we developed complementary interior concepts.
