We tour Andade Morettin's ABV House in Brazil

(Image credit: Maíra Acayaba)

last updated 20 October 2022

Set amid a rich rainforest in the suburbs of Rio de Janeiro, this new house by Andade Morettin architects pretty much epitomises the ideal home. Idyllic setting of natural beauty? Check. Excellent contemporary architecture? And all at a location that is conveniently close to – yes still sufficiently detached from – a key urban hub? Check, check.

The house, placed with the Barra de Tijuca neighbourhood of the Brazilian metropolis, is a family's primary residence. The design, explain the architects, was determined largely by the lush surrounding nature and general ‘atmosphere of the place'. ‘The combination of this valuable atmosphere, the generosity of open spaces and proximity to the urbanised area of the city, was the ultimate motivation for the owners to decide to adapt this place to become their permanent home', they add.

The structure contains bedrooms and communal areas, all set within a light pavilion-like design. An existing building on site was partially demolished to be replaced by the modern volume, which uses materials, such as wood, glass and steel. The largely transparent new home is placed atop the stone remnants of the older structure, helping to embed it into the landscape.

The roof, conceived as a floating pergola, hovers over the interiors, which are grouped together underneath according to function. This openness and flowing spaces inside ensure natural air circulation within, which both cools down the spaces and dries out excessive moisture, maintaining a pleasant atmosphere. Landscaping by Isabel Duprat wraps around the house, set in stepped terraces that lead down to a cool swimming pool.

Andade Morettin's ABV House inside outside

INFORMATION

andrademorettin.com.br

Ellie Stathaki is the Architecture & Environment Director at Wallpaper*. She trained as an architect at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Greece and studied architectural history at the Bartlett in London. Now an established journalist, she has been a member of the Wallpaper* team since 2006, visiting buildings across the globe and interviewing leading architects such as Tadao Ando and Rem Koolhaas. Ellie has also taken part in judging panels, moderated events, curated shows and contributed in books, such as The Contemporary House (Thames & Hudson, 2018), Glenn Sestig Architecture Diary (2020) and House London (2022).