Ibo Bonilla Oconitrillo (born 23 January 1951) is an architect, sculptor, mathematician, and educator of

Costa Rica Costa Rica, officially the Republic of Costa Rica, is a country in Central America. It borders Nicaragua to the north, the Caribbean Sea to the northeast, Panama to the southeast, and the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, as well as Maritime bo ...

. He has Costa Rican and

Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many countries in the Americas **Spanish cuisine **Spanish history **Spanish culture ...

nationality. He is known mainly for the creation of bioclimatic buildings and his monuments in public spaces.

Biography

Ibo Bonilla, known as “Professor Ibo,” was born in Sarchí, a town of Alajuela recognized as the cradle of art in

. He has traveled the world, undertaken various jobs, and earned degrees in multiple fields: he is an architect, sculptor, mathematician, and educator from the University of Costa Rica; a technician in management and evaluation of quality from the Polytechnic University of Valencia, Spain; and holds a master's degree in business administration from the Escuela Europea de Negocios in Spain. At this moment, he consults with engineering companies. In 1977, he became the first architect to graduate from a degree program in Costa Rica. He was also the first Costa Rican architect incorporated as an architect in Spain. Recognized in 2023 as one of "the ten most famous Costa Ricans in the world" and one of the three artists in that classification, and in 2020 as "the most influential architect in Costa Rica."

Professional career

Architect

In the academic field, Ibo Bonilla's definition of architecture has become a benchmark: “Architecture is to sculpt the space in order to satisfy physical, emotional, and spiritual needs, protecting the results with a harmonic skin possessing aesthetic, techniques, and place, from the moment it is performed.” “Architecture is to model social meta-skin with art.” “…When the skin becomes preponderant due to its aesthetic value, it tends to be sculpture, if the predominance is technical, it tends to be construction engineering, if the emphasis is the location, it tends to be landscaping, if there is harmony amongst all the systems, we are in the presence of a very good architectural work. Each work has its proportion, and the right measure is the work of the architect, that if there is a dialogue and synthesis of poetic synergism, then we have a work of art.” His works are in the following sectors: ;Public Buildings Latin American of Science and Technology University (ULACIT), Central American Roche Headquarters, Bank of Cathay of Costa Rica, Ocony’s Companies, Radiotherapy Center of Irazú, Ibero American Hospital, Ibero American Geriatric Clinic, Sea and Sun Condominium, 352 Figurama Cosmetic Clinics, several clinics for the National Institute of Insurances, etc. ;Houses More than 2 million square meters in residences of all type, cost, location, singularity, and level. ;Urban renovation Central Bank of Costa Rica, International Bank of Costa Rica, Plaza de la Cultura, Pre-Columbian Gold Museum, the Square and Sculptural Garden of the Central Bank of Costa Rica, Walk of National Hero of the University Estatal a Distancia, Costa Rican Square of Justice, etc. ;

Bioclimatic architecture Green building (also known as green construction, sustainable building, or eco-friendly building) refers to both a structure and the application of processes that are environmentally responsible and resource-efficient throughout a building's li ...

and

landscape A landscape is the visible features of an area of land, its landforms, and how they integrate with natural or human-made features, often considered in terms of their aesthetic appeal.''New Oxford American Dictionary''. A landscape includes th ...

Tropical Science Center, Tropical Experience Cultural Center, Latin American University of Science and Technology (ULACIT), Wilson Botanical Garden and Las Cruces Research Station, La Marta Wildlife Refuge, Jardín Botánico Las Cusingas Botanical Garden, Kèköldi Indigenous Reserve, Corcovado National Park,

Manuel Antonio National Park Manuel Antonio National Park () is a small national park in the Central Pacific Conservation Area located on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica, just south of the city of Quepos, Puntarenas Province, Puntarenas, and from the national capital of San ...

, Braulio Carrillo National Park, Guayabo National Monument, Cocos Island National Park, etc. ;Works with emphasis in ecological tourism, and

rural tourism Rural tourism is a form of tourism that focuses on actively participating in a rural lifestyle. It can be a variant of ecotourism, emphasizing sustainable practices and community involvement. Many villages can facilitate tourism because of the ho ...

Buenos Aires de Talamanca, Yorkin Indigenous Reserve, Kèköldi Indigenous Reserve, Carbon Dos Farm, El Silencio Dominical, La Marta farm in Turrialba, Tres Colinas de Potrero Grande, Zeta Trece (San Carlos), Bijagua de Upala, El Toro waterfalls (Sarchí), etc.

Sculptor

His sculpture works or pieces are located in public parks, museums, galleries, and private collections in different parts of the world. Their themes are tropical biodiversity, feelings, perception, and women. His works are made with different techniques and materials, including wood, stone, metals, clay, glass, quartz, lava, resins, ceramics, iron, and cement. He has specialized in medium format (70 to 200 centimeters in height) for interiors and big format with monumental sculptures and sculptural walls. He has participated in several collective and individual exhibitions, as well as in multiple workshops and seminars on painting and sculpture in Costa Rica and Spain. Among his well-known works are: *“El Obelisko Fi,” a bronze statue that represents the National Prize of Architecture, granted every two years by the School of Architects of Costa Rica, *“ Cercanías,” a 3.80 meter sculpture in the Sculpture Park of Barva, next to recognized works of sculptors from several countries, *“Naturaleza Asediada,” a lava sculpture articulated in two pieces, displayed in the Plaza de la Cultura Museum in San José, Costa Rica, *"Amar y Brio,” two Diorita rock sculptures, with a height of 2 meters, located in the entrance to Puebla Real Condominium in Heredia, Costa Rica. *"Spiral of Success," a set of three steel sculptures located in Terra Campus, Tres Ríos. At 17.8m (58.4 feet), it is the highest in Costa Rica. While it is claimed to be inspired by the " Flower of Life" and related symbols (Seed of Life, Fruit of Life), the realized hexagonal patterns show no intersecting circles and therefore cannot be ascribed to those.

Teaching

From 1972, he has been a professor at the Universidad Autonoma de Central America, Universidad de Costa Rica, Universidad de las Ciencias y el Arte, Mons. Odio, School, San Agustín University, and others, in different subjects and careers: *Mathematics at several levels *Architecture Semiotics *Architecture Field Theory *Architectonic Design *Communication Theory for Advertising Design Career He is also a tutor, reader, and advisor for theses in various careers. He is recognized in the academic area for his efforts in forming professionals concerned with solidarity and social responsibility.

Conferencing

Gives speeches on bioclimatic architecture, geotecture, sustainable construction, green building, cultural heritage, art, architecture, and pedagogy in different congresses, symposiums, universities, and forums, with emphasis on socially responsible coexistence and biodiversity protection.Instituto de arquitetos do Brasil
''Conferencia Internacional Desenvolvimento em Cidades de Fronteira: Ibo Bonilla 2009''

Business administrator

He specializes in the social and solidarity function of the work, with programming emphasis, goal definition, and human resources valuation, within the frame of a “culture of solid and shared company.” He has written articles on “symbiosis and commensalism in the trade," “love and hatred for a product in study,” “the proxemic and efficiency in the offices,” educative administration, etc. He also collaborates with indigenous associations and farmers to improve their standard of living, such as alternatives to forest operations and emigration to the city.

References

Literature

* * ;Specialized magazines: * *

External links

Official web site of CFIAColegio de Arquitectos de Costa Rica
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bonilla, Ibo 1951 births Living people People from Sarchí (canton) Costa Rican architects Costa Rican sculptors Costa Rican artists Costa Rican designers Costa Rican educators Costa Rican writers Technical University of Valencia alumni Solar building designers Spanish architects Spanish sculptors Spanish male sculptors Spanish artists Spanish writers