Nature takes over at this modernist-inspired, leafy São Paulo house
Isay Weinfeld and landscape architect Rodrigo Oliveira collaborate in this São Paulo house, where modernist-inspired, contemporary architecture goes hand in hand with tropical planting
From a distance, you might be forgiven for mistaking this São Paulo house for a leafy part of urban design. Yet upon approach, it becomes apparent that this is no park - but the lush exterior of a thoroughly contemporary family home in the heart of the Brazilian metropolis. Welcome to 111 House, a modernist-inspired property designed by Isay Weinfeld - a home further elevated by the Brazilian architect's close collaboration with his landscape counterpart, the specialist Rodrigo Oliveira.
The home, a family base for a couple of contemporary art collectors and their two children, was conceived as a space for displaying artworks but also an informal residence for meeting friends and experiencing daily life, 'in a simple and unpretentious way,' the architects explain.
Explore a São Paulo house by Isay Weinfeld with landscape by Rodrigo Oliveira
Weinfeld is a deft hand at crafting modern homes that nod to Brazilian modernism's defining principles – as the architect himself is part of a generation of his country's architects who picked up where leading modernists such as Oscar Niemeyer left off, taking the South American country's architecture to its contemporary chapter. Past projects include projects such as Geneses House, which won a Wallpaper* Design Award for Best Private House in 2014.
In this São Paulo house – titled 111 House – Weinfeld brought to the project another key proponent of Brazilian design – Oliveira, who adheres to a naturalistic garden perspective, inspired by Japanese garden methodology and the asymmetric beauty of nature itself. The landscape architect typically works towards 'spontaneous-looking gardens that blend seamlessly into the surroundings,’ he told us in an interview in 2025.
111 House matches an urban plot and 517 sq m of built space with a generous 280 sq m garden. Here, Weinfeld's expert language of clean lines, raw concrete and warm timber surfaces blends effortlessly with vegetation that overflows, smoothing edges, softening boundaries and creating a dynamic facade that will change with time and the seasons.
Planters have cleverly been incorporated into the facade's fabric, so that greenery and flowers take over not simply on the ground level or terraces, as is most conventional, but also vertically, moving upwards through the elevations on all sides of the building.
Oliveira's naturalistic philosophy for landscape design meant that he worked on consolidating plants that thrive in a variety of climatic conditions and better reflect the territory's current and future needs, where weather and nature are concerned.
The studio writes: 'Rather than resorting to a tropical forest of broad leaves and dense volumes, often associated with the Brazilian landscape, the house receives cold-climate species, small foliage, flowers and great botanical diversity. These are wind-resistant plants, easier to maintain and capable of ageing well, composing a delicate garden without losing presence.'
As the house unfolds across four levels, the property's footprint remains relatively small to allow for the garden around it to thrive. At the same time, overhangs, pergolas and the planting serve as brise-soleil to underline comfortable urban living for the residents year-round.
rodrigooliveirapaisagismo.com.br
