Architecture in the Caribbean is often reduced to traditional styles—Curaçao’s colorful facades, Bonaire’s historic slave houses, and Saba’s charming gingerbread trims. While these buildings, shaped largely by colonial influences, are visually iconic and widely appreciated, they only scratch the surface of the region’s architectural diversity and innovation. When you look at what defines contemporary style, very little has been documented—until now…

For over 25 years, architect Lyongo Juliana has been contributing to the region’s built environment. Just like music, language, and culture, architecture in the Caribbean is a vibrant blend of influences. The documentary Kombiná tells the story of how Lyongo’s work reflects and uplifts the communities. Literalyl meaning “mixed”, the film explores how migration, multiculturalism, and tradition come together to shape a unique architectural identity. Much like Caribbean music, contemporary architecture in the region is a symphony of influences, echoing the creativity, adaptability, and resilience of its people.

With a growing population, increasing tourism, and rising demand for both public and private spaces, the Dutch Caribbean islands are undergoing a significant transformation. More needs to be built and better at the same time. One key issue is the climatic challenge: many homes are too hot and offer poor protection against the tropical climate. This is often remedied with energy-hungry cooling systems—air conditioning, for instance, uses five times more energy than heating. But air conditioning is also a remnant of colonial inequality, where the wealthy could afford comfort while others could not. Today, it remains a symbol of privilege. People with limited means are often forced to live in overheated homes, which negatively impacts their well-being. Smarter design can lead to healthier living conditions and lower energy use—not just in homes, but also in offices, schools, and public buildings.

Over the past two decades, there has been a strong shift toward creating architecture that is not only functional, but also sustainable and deeply rooted in local identity. Architect Lyongo Juliana has been contributing to this development for over 25 years. His philosophy is clear: together with his firm, lyongo architecture, he works on projects that offer a solution to social challenges while celebrating the soul of a place.

In the film, Lyongo visits a variety of projects he has designed across the Dutch Caribbean over the past 25 years. On Curaçao, viewers explore Mangrove City Park, Curacao Medical Center, Hofi Vidanova – among others. On Bonaire, they visit modern villas such as Villa van de Sande and Villa Catalina, and on St. Maarten, the conversations focus on education. Lastly, we travel to ‘the unspoiled Queen of the Caribbean’, Saba, where we see the local school, the fire station and the Green Flash House, a striking villa nestled in the green mountains.

Throughout the film, Lyongo offers insights into his design process. Together with young designers, residents, and students, he discusses themes such as sustainability, (the decolonization of) heritage, social inclusion, climate, and local culture. He explores how these elements influence the architecture he creates.

Kombiná offers a platform not only to share Lyongo’s vision, but also to inspire the next generation of Caribbean designers. For Lyongo, this film is more than just a documentary. “It is also a personal story in which I’ll share stories that shaped me as a human being. I hope this documentary inspires others—especially young people—in their quest to create a better living environment for all. But I also hope a broader audience will be moved by the visuals and the stories, and feel the beauty of the Dutch Caribbean islands.  For me the title perfectly reflects the spirit of the film and islands: a fusion of ideas, cultures, and solutions to create something greater than the sum of its parts.”

Kombiná premiered in October 2024 to a sold-out audience at the Architecture Film Festival Rotterdam (AFFR), where it was honored with the prestigious second-place Audience Award. With over 80 films screened and 8,000 attendees, this recognition speaks to the strength of the film’s message. Architects, urban planners, students, and community members alike were deeply moved by its vision.

The film has also been screened at private premieres on all the islands where filming took place and will continue its festival run throughout 2025. After that, the film will be made available on our website so that it can be viewed by everyone.