The Judges Awards

05.3 Paraty House, Brazil, by Marcio Kogan

Located in a private cove on Brazil's Costa Verde, Paraty House floats out of the mountainside like two drawers in a dresser. Consisting of two, low-lying, concrete volumes resting asymmetrically together, the only visible support for the upper floor comes from a glass-enclosed staircase below. Floor-to-ceiling windows form the façade of both levels; on the lower floor, which comprises the living area, dining room and kitchen, the glass is removable; while on the upper bedroom floor, brisesoleils made from eucalyptus branches can be drawn to shut out the sun. The outside spaces include a large, ipe-wood deck leading seamlessly into an infinity pool and onto the beach beyond, while the top level has a roof garden.

Location: Corten House, São Paulo, 2008; Osler House, Brasilia, 2008; House 53, São Paulo, 2009
Architect's previous work: Onishi Civic Centre, Gunma, 2005; House in a Plum Grove, Tokyo, 2003; Asahi Shimbun Yamagata Office Building, Yamagata, 2002

View images of the house
www.marciokogan.com.br

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