Cresolus: Our story
Andrew and Beth Coates: We met in remote Kenya. We both grew up independent minded and always making things. We convinced some friends to let us design and build a 'bush lodge' on their struggling family ranch 50 miles from the nearest telephone post and within hearing range of cheetah, lion and zebra calls. They loved it and visitors did to. Soon we were asked to design and build in other remote destinations. Over the years we studied the way our neighbors in the dry tropical savanna used the climate and local resources to advantage. We were hooked on the challenge to assimilate every asset a piece of land has to offer.
When we moved to Panama in 2001 to expand our portfolio of lodges, humidity and rain sparked our creative impulses further. We became fascinated with the forgotten rules of design in the tropics. These rules had been largely discarded since air-conditioning appeared on the scene.
In 2002 we were asked to design and master plan 13 lodges in newly established national parks in Gabon. In our work and travels we study remnants of vernacular architecture from the Caribbean, Central Africa and across to Indonesia and put them to work in our designs. We've found that using these practices enhances modern technology.
Our passion is the tropics and today we are still making built environments that are sensual and handcrafted and smart.
Cresolus: Our Team
We are architects, craftspeople, engineers, the project manager and the planners. For us, designing and building is a multidisciplinary process. So, when we work on your project, we all sit down together. We know that engineering something and designing it to function well in the climate are never divorced from the aesthetic. We love our work and we enjoy considering every material and every angle from the perspective of beauty, climactic comfort, energy efficiency, longevity and ethical resourcing. It's a process we are proud of.
Our Ethos
Our goal is to leave a legacy of wonderful buildings.
When we started Cresolus, we had a pretty good understanding that craftsmanship and thorough understanding of the climate were not high on the priority list for firms in our region or across the tropics. We have a reputation for quality and prudence.
We are passionate about our work, we find joy in it and we hear that clients enjoy working with us. Making things is fun; we haven't changed our minds about that over the years.
Cresolus: Our Expertise
Beach houses
Pools
National parks infrastructure
Lodges
Renovations of historical tropical architecture
Large scale residential
Residential Interiors and Furniture
Master planning for resorts
Master planning housing developments
Master planning mixed use