Panama’s Islas Secas Adds a Spectacular New Villa, Casa Cavada

An undulating roof hovers like a manta ray over the 8,300-square-foot cliffside residence, which is composed of four bedrooms, six baths, and a private kitchen. The visionary architects at firm Hart Howerton framed the extraordinary vistas with soaring eucalyptus pillars, creating an indoor-outdoor atmosphere akin to the kind of rambling tree house Robinson Crusoe would have engineered if he had won a Pritzker Prize. “The design honors our wonderful surroundings and draws in those natural elements,” says Antonio Aja, managing director of Islas Secas. “Casa Cavada is both elegant and an extension of nature.”

Whitley Esteban and Ernesto Gloria, who worked for designer Tom Scheerer on the original phase of the property and concepted the furnishing of this latest guesthouse, thoroughly considered that balance. At Casa Cavada, the duo, the principals of Studio Tre, conceived ample spaces meant for lounging with plenty of deep built-in seating areas, reclaimed-teak furniture, and tables formed from local fallen trees. Much of the artwork nods to Panama’s traditional molas, hand-stitched scenes of flora and fauna, including a tapestry of the tree of life by artist and jewelry designer Ranjana Khan embellished with seashells.

An extravagant primary suite comes with its own living room, bedroom, extensive dressing area, bath with soaking tub, indoor-outdoor shower, and private terrace. But the ultimate space might just be the open-air grotto on the lower level. There, a mural depicting sea life recalls early cave paintings and uses a limewash incorporating local dirt that casts a pinkish hue. “Nature is the sacred thing that we need to appreciate and preserve and protect,” emphasizes Esteban. “That trickles down to every design decision we made.”

Of course, there’s still a smattering of swish moments, such as a James De Wulf Ping-Pong table, basalt stools by Mike Diaz from Blackman Cruz, and Tuuci umbrellas. Plus, an on-site bartender is on call to mix up a signature margarita near the junior-Olympic-size infinity pool, the perfect perch for watching humpback whales or having a lesson from on-staff conservation manager Beny Wilson, who is ever helpful with identifying the 750 species of fish, 80 species of birds, and 128 species of plants that are native to the area. With Casa Cavada, Islas Secas has achieved the almost impossible—making guests feel both totally at home and like they’re a million miles away.

A version of this article first appeared in print in our 2024 Fall Issue under the headline “Nature Study.” Subscribe to the magazine.