Following our previous visit to WORKac, we are keeping our Meet Your Next Employer series in New York City this week to explore the work of Obra Architects.

Founded by Pablo Castro and Jennifer Lee in 2000, the firm has since expanded to operate an office in Seoul, ultimately being appointed as one of the Seoul City Government’s Public Architects. The firm describes its mission as to “develop architectural projects founded on a carefully considered form of design discipline that leads, through research and rational means of construction and fabrication, to an articulation of the unique spatial combinations necessary to enrich and empower inhabitation.”

Over on Archinect Jobs, the firm is currently hiring for an Architect to join their New York City team. For candidates interested in applying for a position or anybody interested in learning more about the firm’s output, we have rounded up three projects by Obra Architects that exemplify the firm’s ethos.

MoMA/PS1 BEATFUSE!, New York, NY

The winning design for MoMA/PS1’s Young Architects Program in 2006, BEATFUSE! was designed to align with the program’s celebration of New York City’s cultural diversity, providing a dynamic space for collective participation while maintaining individual expression. The structure spans MoMA’s courtyard using ten prefabricated concertina shells, digitally modeled to achieve their curved forms. Covered in polypropylene mesh scales, the shells allow for airflow and light filtration, generating intricate moiré patterns on the ground and offering a soft, shaded environment.

The courtyard is divided into three environments inspired by Roman baths: the Caldarium, with sunbathing lounges and a soaking pool; the Tepidarium, offering shade, pools, and cooling misters; and the Frigidarium, featuring walls lined with reflective bubble wrap and an ice bench replenished weekly. Additional elements include wading pools constructed from epoxy-coated foam and plywood and illuminated water misters housed in steel mesh hemispheres, creating dramatic misty visuals at night.

Centrifugal Villa, Southampton, NY

The Centrifugal Villa is organized around a central void, creating a dynamic design where rooms are connected through fragmented geometry, resulting in shifting perspectives and expansive views of the surrounding landscape. Situated on a five-acre property overlooking an agricultural reserve, the project comprises a main house, a poolhouse, and a guesthouse/garage structure. The design prioritizes integration with nature, using natural materials such as wood with vertical board-and-batten cladding and incorporating geothermal cooling, minimal artificial lighting, and cross-ventilation.

The villa’s fractured composition reinterprets local vernacular forms through hexagonal layouts and proportioned distortions, blending indoor and outdoor living. The pool house features two complementary structures: one a simple, archetypal form with carefully positioned windows framing key views, and the other a cedar lattice volume, creating a shadowy retreat. The three structures are positioned to encourage different social interactions while maintaining harmony with the landscape, emphasizing functionality and serene aesthetics.

Casa Osa, Cerro Osa, Costa Rica

A vacation retreat on Costa Rica’s Osa Peninsula, Casa Osa serves as a nature-focused escape for an American doctor and family. Set on 98 hectares of rainforest with views of Golfo Dulce and the Pacific, the house is situated on a former mango farm, preserving surrounding trees. The home’s layout follows the slope of a hill, with wings rotating along the contours, creating a descending sequence of rooms and ramps that seamlessly blend with the landscape.

The design fosters a connection with nature through open spaces framed by traditional double-sloped roofs and triangulated ramp covers. Two walled gardens provide transitional outdoor areas safe from wildlife at night while the house itself balances integration with the forest and architectural cohesion, with overlapping pavilions that blur boundaries between structure and environment.

Meet Your Next Employer is one of a number of ongoing weekly series showcasing the opportunities available on our industry-leading job board. Our Job Highlights series looks at intriguing and topical employment opportunities currently available on Archinect Jobs, while our weekly roundups curate job opportunities by location, career level, and job description.