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Architects: Venta Arquitetos
- Area: 120 m²
- Year: 2023
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Photographs:Rafael Salim
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Manufacturers: Eternit, Gerdau Brasil
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Lead Architect: Gregório Rosenbusch
Text description provided by the architects. The project is located on a plot of land already occupied by the main residence and a leisure area, in which context it was decided to build a pavilion to house two guest suites and a residence for the caretaker. The area earmarked for construction has a steep slope, around 60%, and an important group of trees to be preserved. It is also a passageway between a group of cherry trees, located on the highest part, and trees considered native, in the lower part of the area. One aspect that largely determined the design and construction strategy was the time available for all stages, including the construction work, which was 200 days.
The design process started with the definition of an aerial and light construction strategy, to make a light structure hover over the terrain and next to the trees, intervening minimally in the natural topography. To this end, it was decided to assemble the program in a single elevated volume, supported by a line of four deep foundations. The layout of this volume and its division into two parts are direct consequences of the layout of the existing trees. In this sense, a small aerial patio was defined around a native tree to give access to the suites, and the volume was placed obliquely to the contour lines, creating the necessary distance to preserve the cherry trees.
Despite the building's elevated condition, there is a kind of ground-level continuity through the connection between pre-existing paths with a sidewalk resting on the ground and walkways to access the suites and residences. The set of walkways and sidewalks play the role of balancing and anchoring the linear structure.
Concerning the materials used, the demand for light construction in its double sense – lightness and speed of execution – contributed to the definition of all the construction systems: flooring (Panel Wall type), walls (Drywall type), roofing (thermo-acoustic tiles), aluminum frames and façades (cement boards and Cumaru rulers).
The difference between the front and back façades, the former with vertical wooden strips and the latter with graphite paint, is due to the surroundings. When we visited the site for the first time, in the last week of July, we came across the cherry blossom trees, which only bloom once a year and last only two weeks. As such, the long Cumaru façade aims to continue the chromatic experience of the cherry blossom period throughout the year in its own way. On the other hand, the rear façade is infiltrated by the permanent shade of the native tree canopies. As such, the dark treatment of all the materials on this façade shares the same desire for continuity with the surroundings.
