The topography of the site was designed to maximize the use of the existing semi-flat surfaces as outdoor living spaces, with key functional, circulation and soil stabilization elements installed between the retaining walls. Full access to the house, from residents to staff, is through this “topographic pedestal,” which slowly reveals the surrounding landscape through winding passageways adapted to the original topography. The distribution of all technical and service areas is also carried out through the basement, including parking, laundry, etc., which allows centralized management of all systems and constantly monitor their efficiency. It also has some facilities related to active recreation, such as a gym and a sauna.

The main public and living areas of the house are located on this basement in a glass and granite volume that, when viewed from the garden, resembles a garden pavilion. Its slender, curved roof (“wing”) extends far beyond it, providing important environmental protection in the living and dining areas. Its large glass panels slide completely inside the walls that enclose the volume under the “wing”, allowing the interior space to fully open to the outside and turn into one wide veranda. The glass panels have automated casings that roll down to control natural light and temperature. Wooden walls that enclose each edge of this volume enclose more secluded spaces, the home office and kitchen. The private portion of the house, where the bedrooms and suites are located, is housed in a granite volume perpendicular to the “wing.” Its granite facade and smaller windows provide a more intimate view of the garden while maintaining the privacy of the bedrooms. A separate unit that connects to the main house through the garden was designed as a guest house and covered dining area with a small kitchen and barbecue area.

The exterior walls of the basement are made of pigmented concrete. The upper volume is made of galvanized steel construction with plasterboard clad in Freijo and Cumaru wood native to Brazil. The curved roof is a table made of steel and concrete slabs with waterproofing over thermoformed film. The interior floors are made of 0.3×3-meter pieces of cumaru, and the outdoor areas are covered with gray granite mined locally. The social areas of the house are surrounded by large sliding panels of 18mm laminated glass with minimalist aluminum profiles. The entire infrastructure is centrally controlled for performance and distributed around the periphery of the concrete basement, allowing easy access for maintenance, hidden from residents and guests.

Name: House Wing (Casa Asa)
Location: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Architecture: Bernardes Arquitetura
Construction: 2018
Total square footage: 3385 m2

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The challenge of implementing the project in less than 2 months in a remote area led to the choice of dry and eco-friendly building materials such as laminated lumber for the roof and metal posts, which reduces the impact on the surrounding area. In order to integrate the landscape, the laminated bar roof functions as a pergola with support beams and slats set in different directions to allow the sun to penetrate and create different scenes throughout the day. The roof was installed as such to create the illusion of the structure floating on a plateau; the location was chosen precisely so that the structure did not protrude beyond the skyline and was integrated within the context of the height of the access bridge and the natural curves of the terrain.

The structure has rounded edges that mimic the organic shape of the lake, and is covered with mirrors that provide continuity to the landscape, creating the illusion of invisibility. The flexible and open architecture puts nature at the center of the project, assimilating the existing environment and enhancing it. The brise-soleil panels have colorful screens that mimic the surrounding landscape and can be adjusted to filter the sun at different times of day, thus creating different scenes and offering respite to guests. In addition to integrating and enhancing the environment, this project allows for direct interaction with both architecture and nature at the same time.

Name: Lake Annex
Location: Brazil
Architecture: Studio AG Arquitetura
Construction: 2016

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