We began work on the design of this house, located in São Conrado, Rio de Janeiro, at the point at which the plot was chosen. Naturally, the client wanted a view of the sea; and at first glance the triangular lot, surrounded by high walls, seemed ill-fitting. The solution was to elevate the main living spaces, bringing the landscape inside the house in a maneuver that was both simple and painstakingly executed.
Starting at the entryway, one’s movements through the house conjure up surprises at every turn. A gallery clad entirely in stone greets visitors just above street level, with a path that opens up gradually as they come up to the intermediate floor. There, the sea and the horizon are revealed in all their sweeping breadth.
The living area functions as a veranda, with integrated environments separated only by the large floating staircase that winds its way up the house’s three floors. The aim was to embrace the natural landscape, destabilizing notions of “inside” and “outside,” but also to create an inviting social space.
The first floor, a smaller and more intimate wood-clad area, includes the office, master bedroom, closet, and spa bathroom on different levels. Guest bedrooms and maids’ quarters are spread across the bottom level, surrounded by a garden stocked with plants native to the Atlantic Forest.
The goal was to create a house that both took in and reflected its surroundings, from the choice of materials to ventilation solutions. The building mingles with the landscape, simultaneously framing and framed by the nature around it. Over time, the idea is for it to become increasingly integrated into the place, practically vanishing in the process.
