BUILD Architecture Awards 2025 Leading Innovator in Sustainable & Vernacular Architecture 2025 – Central America & Best Completed Bioclimatic Architecture Project 2025: Casa Alegre Architecture That Belongs In tropical architecture, sustainability isn’t a style—it’s a way of thinking. Rooted in climate, context, and craft, bioclimatic design invites the natural world to shape how people live. It means using sun and shade, breeze and earth, not just as design elements—but as partners in creating spaces that are livable, durable, and deeply human. At Sepia Panama, bioclimatic design forms the foundation of every project. Based in Pedasí, the firm designs and builds homes that emerge from the landscape— responding to local climate, honoring cultural heritage, and aligning with the rhythms of everyday life. Sepia’s work is characterized by a quiet, purposeful approach: regionally grounded, technically sound, and emotionally resonant. “Architecture should belong—to the place, to the people, and to the moment. Sepia’s mission is to create homes that are generous with the land, respectful of tradition, and deeply aware of context.” — Alejandra Cano, Founding Partner Founded in 2015 by architect Alejandra Cano and civil engineer Luis Ferreira, Sepia Panama was established to explore how architecture in the tropics could be both modern and deeply rooted. The firm integrates passive cooling, crossventilation, shaded outdoor spaces, and lowmaintenance materials in a design process that feels at once timeless and entirely contemporary. Sepia offers comprehensive services—from architecture and interior design to landscape planning, engineering, permitting, construction, and long-term project stewardship. One of the firm’s standout innovations is its modern earthen wall system: a reinterpretation of traditional adobe construction, adapted to meet presentday performance standards while preserving the tactile beauty and thermal comfort of natural materials. “Sepia’s work is not about recreating the past— it’s about carrying forward its wisdom, translated into spaces that work, breathe, and endure.” That philosophy is brought to life in Casa Alegre, a residence designed for Cano’s grandmother. With adobe walls, a northeastfacing shaded porch, screened living spaces, and naturally ventilated interiors, the home reflects a thoughtful, climate-responsive approach to design. Casa Alegre was recently recognized as the Best Completed Bioclimatic Architecture Project 2025, praised for its authenticity, attention to detail, and emotional depth. Rather than imitate traditional architecture, the home evolves it—offering a model for how buildings in Central America can respond to their setting with quiet intelligence and lasting beauty. The firm’s broader vision reaches beyond residential design. As the recipient of the 2025 Build Award for Sustainable & Vernacular Architecture in Central America, Sepia Panama is now expanding its work to larger-scale projects—including educational, cultural, and civic spaces—while maintaining its commitment to simplicity, relevance, and respect for place. Sepia Panama continues to shape a future where architecture listens first—building not just for the present, but with an enduring sense of belonging. Contact: Alejandra Cano Company: Sepia Panama SA Web Address: www.sepiapanama.com May25227
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