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.
INFORMATION
-
Lighting designer Andi Watson on creating Mitski’s sculptural stage for 'The Land'In Mitski’s live show and new concert film, a single beam of light becomes her dance partner. Lighting designer Andi Watson discusses turning shadow, movement and restraint into the architecture of feeling
-
Making mirrors with A Vibe Called Tech, the collective democratising designLast week, Wallpaper* Paris Editor Amy Serafin spent a day with a group of creatives led by Julie Richoz, making mirrors: here's what went down (and how to make your own)
-
A postcard from We Design Beirut: 'We’re learning how to break barriers and create dialogue'The second edition of We Design Beirut celebrated design, architecture, heritage and creativity
-
Tropical gardens envelop this contemporary Brazilian home in São Paulo stateIn the suburbs of Itupeva, Serena House by architects Padovani acts as a countryside refuge from the rush of city living
-
Itapororoca House blends seamlessly with Brazil’s lush coastal landscapeDesigned by Bloco Arquitetos, Itapororoca House is a treetop residence in Bahia, Brazil, offering a large wrap-around veranda to invite nature in
-
A postmodernist home reborn: we tour the British embassy in BrazilWe tour the British Embassy in Brazil after its thorough renovation by Hersen Mendes Arquitetura, which breathes new life into a postmodernist structure within the country's famous modernist capital
-
A new concrete house in São Paulo state is designed to open up to its hillside viewsArchitects Fernanda Padula and Juliana Risso have shaped this family house in Brazil from meticulously poured concrete forms, precise joinery and a close relationship with the landscape
-
Meet Carmen Portinho, the pioneering engineer who shaped Brazilian architectureCarmen Portinho’s pioneering vision shaped Brazil’s social housing, museums and modernist identity. A new exhibition in Rio finally gives her work the recognition it deserves
-
An upstate São Paulo house is rooted in culture and the location that inspires itBalancing tradition and modernity, upstate São Paulo house Casa MM by Equipe Lamas is ‘an oasis of intimacy within a residential setting’
-
A masterful house in São Paulo invites jungle vegetation, water and natural light inA house in São Paulo by Meireles + Pavan Arquitetura, FR House, is a richly curated series of spaces designed to create worlds within worlds
-
Meet Rodrigo Oliveira, landscape architect to some of Brazil’s finest buildingsWe delve into Rodrigo Oliveira's naturalistic approach and explore his landscape architecture work, gracing buildings designed by some of Brazil's finest contemporary architects
