Designing homes at Playa Venao aligns built and natural environments

Canopy Venao, led by Caroline Howell with Momentis Family Office, uses sensor-informed siting and ecological restoration at Playa Venao, including more than 40,000 native trees planted and year-long environmental monitoring to guide design.

Canopy Venao frames housing as part of local ecological systems rather than as standalone structures. The project, developed by Caroline Howell in partnership with Momentis Family Office, combines rewilding, low-impact design, and ongoing measurement. Designers report using a year-long sensor network to observe wind, rainfall, humidity, wildlife movement and microclimates before siting homes. The approach aims to restore ecological function while shaping livable outdoor and indoor conditions. Key details: - More than 40,000 native trees have been planted as part of reforestation and corridor restoration efforts reported by the project. - A sensor network records environmental patterns over a year to inform low-density layouts and architectural decisions. - Canopy Venao reported a 95 percent survival rate for new plantings in 2024 using layered species suited to dry-season conditions. - Water stewardship measures include rainwater capture, greywater treatment, and restoration along Quebrada Venao. - Cocobolo is the first completed neighborhood, combining sensor-informed siting, biophilic architecture, and modular construction by Biyu Habitats. Summary: Canopy Venao emphasizes environmental data and ecological restoration as central inputs to land planning and home design. The project tracks biodiversity counts, water reuse rates, canopy density and embodied-carbon choices to guide adaptive land management. Undetermined at this time.