Jorge Odio Bertheau Hate was born in Costa Rica in 1937. He studied architecture at the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), graduating in 1965. After graduation he ran a practice called ARTEC (Arte y Técnica), working closely with the artist Felo Garcia. One of the proposals they were involved in was a call to establish a School of Architecture in Costa Rica. By 1970, the University of Costa Rica (UCR) and the UK government we also engaged in talks around such a scheme and Otto Koenigsberge, the Head of the Department of Development and Tropical Studies, at the Architectural Association (AA), London, was asked by the UK Minister of Overseas Development to visit Costa Rica on a fact-finding mission. Under the aegis of the UK/Central American Technical Assistance Arrangements programme, Koenigsberger visited Costa Rica from April 14th – May 4th, 1970, interviewing specialists and holding talks with UCR. His subsequent report and recommendations were submitted to the Rector and Board of Trustees of UCR in April 1970. Both a Spanish and an English language copy remains within the AA Archives today. As part of this process, Koenigsberger was able to offer a number of scholarships for Costa Rican architects to study at the AA’s Department of Development and Tropical Studies and Jorge Bertheau was selected, alongside young, influential architects Felo Garcia, Edgar Brenes and Santiago Crespo. This Costa Rican contingent began their studies at the AA in September 1970, within the Department’s new ‘Teaching Methods Course’, and were tutored by Mario Novella. Together they worked on a joint dissertation, specifically the drawing up of a formal proposal for a pedagogical and administrative system for the new Architecture School at UCR. After returning to Costa Rica in 1971 both Bertheau, Garcia and Brenes were tasked with developing the new School, Bertheau serving as Deputy Director and Academic Coordinator between 1971-81. Bertheau subsequently also held the position of Director from 1989 until his retirement in 1991. Beyond academia, Bertheau also continued to practice and amongst his most significant works are the design proposal (along with Jorge Borbón and Edgar Vargas) for the Plaza de la Cultura and Central Bank Museum in San José (1977-1982). He also worked with Edgar Brenes on the adaptive reuse of the air terminal building into the Costa Rica Art Museum (1977-1978).
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