Updated Jan 9, 2020
The Perfect House for The Tropics
- Designed to keep you cool and comfortable
- Economical to build and easy to maintain
- An attractive and wonderful place to live
- Allows a strong connection with the natural surroundings
What makes the Living In Panama House different?
The Living In Panama (LIP) House is, in essence, is a big covered porch, wrapped around the bedrooms and the bathrooms. Compare this with a more typical construction of a house with a porch attached.
Depending upon the model, up to 75% of the house is an open-air secured and covered porch.
The Living in Panama House is designed to keep you cool and comfortable, even without air conditioning.
- Its roof is designed to repeal and release heat
- Wide, 5-foot roof overhangs
- Dramatically energy-efficient roof reflects and does not store heat
- Gable roof acts as a chimney to release any heat build-up
- Long and lean design to encourage free airflow
- The design makes it easy to enjoy nature and the tropics more fully
The Living in Panama House – Plans For Free!
When you buy one of our properties, we will provide you with the blueprints for free!
Plus, we are available to answer your questions about the house or how to customize it. Feel free to ask us material, design or related questions. We are happy to help.
Already bought a house elsewhere, but want to build a Living in Panama House? We are happy to sell the plans to you for $250. Please contact us about it.
To explore our beautiful properties, click here.
Passively Cooled Homes
The LIP House is considered passively cooled due to its:
- Open floor plans
- Unimpeded airflow
- Bigroof overhangs to keep the sun from warming the building surfaces
- Ceiling fansto enhance air movement and evaporation
Shade-Producing Roof
For instance, the LIP House’s ample roof overhang provides shade and heat protection from the sun. The LIP roof design calls for a good quality corrugated metal roof that has a proven track record here in Panama. Local contractors are familiar with it, and it has a look that is pleasing to the eye. For the oceanfront lots, you may want to consider an alternative roofing material to minimize or eliminate the corroding effects of the direct sea breeze.
Unexpected Consequences of Air Conditioning
Until you experience it, it can be hard to realize how living in a fully air-conditioned house can negatively impact your lifestyle.
Here are just 3 of these unexpected consequences:
- Isolation from the sounds of many wonderful tropical birds, ocean waves, and more.
- Reluctance to leave the artificially-cooled air & venture out into the comparatively hotter out-of-doors.
- Difficulty in noticing that a friend has dropped by for a visit since the visitor cannot be heard above the sound of the A/C within the closed-up house. This is especially true if privacy fencing prevents people from knocking on your door.
Air Conditioning In Living In Panama Homes
Some areas of the LIP House are designed for full, artificial, climate control (e.g., bedrooms and media room/office). Even for the purist, sometimes in the dry season, it is really too hot, and one needs a little break. Although, for many folks the cool ocean breezes, which are strongest in the hot dry season, cool the house sufficiently. This is especially true in our houses, which are designed to take full advantage of these refreshing breezes.
Some clients, especially those from warmer climates, may find there is no needfor air conditioning at all. Our family uses only natural breezes (and we are from Seattle!) enhanced byelectrical fans in our home (although, we wouldn’t mind A/C in our media room forthose hottest of afternoons).
Embrace The Tropics & Nature – LIP House
Living In Panama Houses are designed so that you can hear the birds, the ocean waves, and enjoy nature all around you. The House embraces life in the tropics and at the beach.
Learn more on why the Living In Panama House is the perfect house for the tropics here.
3 Versions – Living In Panama House
The Living In Panama House comes in 3 models
- 1 bedroom, 1 bath
- 2bedroom, 1bath
- 3bedroom, 2bath
The 1 bedroom is 1000 sq. feet, all on 1 floor.
The 2 & 3 bedroom models are 1300 sq. feet, all on 1 floor.
Ample floor plan allows you to get comfortable and enjoy life. But not too much space to clean, furnish, and maintain. Over time, if you discover that you need more room, the style of this house makes it easy to enlarge and change.
Enclose more space. As you see in the images, the main difference between the 2 & 3 bedroom models is that the 3 bedroom version has more enclosed space than the 2 bedroom version, plus an extra bathroom. You can decide to enclose even more space – in any model – It’s up to you.
Discover the cost of building a house in Panama, including the Living in Panama House, here.
Change in Our Delivery – The Living In Panama House
At one time, we were offering to build the Living in Panama House for buyers of our property. However, as some of you know, we have only been able to be in Panama part-time for a bit. We blame it on our kids: one wants to be a professional ballet dancer and the other loves to act, thankfully she starts college next year. Neither activity is offered in Puerto Armuelles, which is why we are often in Seattle these days.
We simply are not able to oversee contractors and laborers consistently enough to ensure a high-quality construction of the Living In Panama House. We really don’t want to promise anything we cannot deliver. That is why we are now offering the plans for the Living In Panama House so you, or your contractor, can build it.
However, we are and will be available for any questions about materials or design or what-have-you. My husband Reyn loves to talk design. He had his own design-build company in Seattle for over 20 years so it is a topic near and dear to his heart.
We are looking forward to moving back to Puerto full-time so we can build a Living in Panama House of our very own at Corazon de Oro (lot #1 is ours!). When we return permanently, if everyone hasn’t already built a LIP House there, I’m sure Reyn would love to oversee the construction of LIP Houses then.
To find out more about Corazon de Oro, click here.
Request The Plans
We think you will enjoy living in a Living in Panama House. If a Living In Panama House fits your needs, please let us know. We will send you its construction plans. They cost $250 if you are not buying one of our properties. The plans are free if you do buy a property from us.Don’t forget, if you buy one of our properties, we are here to help answer your questions about the LIP House all along the way.
As an enthusiast deeply immersed in the realm of tropical architecture and sustainable living, my expertise extends to the innovative design concepts and practical considerations outlined in the article about the Living In Panama House. This dwelling is not merely a shelter but a carefully crafted living space attuned to the unique demands of tropical climates. Allow me to substantiate my proficiency through a breakdown of the key concepts mentioned in the article.
Passive Cooling Design: The Living In Panama House prides itself on being passively cooled, a feature achieved through a combination of open floor plans, unimpeded airflow, and strategically designed roof overhangs. The big roof overhangs play a pivotal role in preventing the sun from directly warming the building surfaces, thereby maintaining a comfortable indoor temperature without relying on artificial cooling methods.
Roof Design for Heat Management: The roof of the house is ingeniously designed to repel and release heat. With wide 5-foot overhangs, the roof serves as a shield against direct sunlight, contributing to energy efficiency. The gable roof, acting as a chimney, facilitates the release of any heat build-up, ensuring a well-ventilated and naturally cooled living space.
Air Conditioning Considerations: While acknowledging the occasional necessity of artificial climate control in certain areas like bedrooms and media rooms, the Living In Panama House emphasizes a preference for natural ventilation. The design optimally utilizes cool ocean breezes, particularly effective during the hot dry season, reducing reliance on air conditioning. The article aptly highlights the unexpected consequences of excessive air conditioning use, such as isolation from natural sounds and a reluctance to venture outdoors.
Integration with Nature: A standout feature of the Living In Panama House is its intentional design to facilitate a strong connection with the natural surroundings. The open-air secured porch, spanning up to 75% of the house in some models, allows residents to hear the sounds of tropical birds and ocean waves, promoting a harmonious coexistence with nature.
Variety of Models: The house offers three distinct models, ranging from a cozy 1-bedroom layout to more spacious 2 and 3-bedroom configurations. The flexibility of the floor plan allows for easy customization and potential future expansion, providing residents with a comfortable living space that aligns with their evolving needs.
Economic and Maintenance Considerations: Highlighted as economical to build and easy to maintain, the Living In Panama House addresses practical concerns associated with construction and upkeep. The article introduces a change in delivery approach, shifting from offering to build the house to providing detailed plans for independent construction.
In conclusion, the Living In Panama House emerges as a thoughtfully designed, environmentally conscious living solution for tropical climates. Its fusion of passive cooling strategies, integration with nature, and flexible design options exemplifies a holistic approach to architecture that I find particularly commendable and aligned with the principles of sustainable living.
