Two Houses by Paulo Mendes da Rocha

Opening its doors alongside the Infinito Vão exhibition, “Two Houses by Paulo Mendes da Rocha” will be on display until February 10, 2019, at the House Gallery. Curated by Nuno Sampaio, “Two Houses” offers the opportunity to visit two unique projects from the collection of architect Paulo Mendes da Rocha, which, in line with the transatlantic focus of this program, are located in Portugal and Brazil.

MY ADDRESS

Casa da Arquitectura — Portuguese Center for Architecture decided to dedicate special attention in its programming to Brazilian architecture, specifically works from the last 90 years, from 1928 to 2018. When discussing Brazilian architecture, it is essential and inevitable to speak of Paulo Mendes da Rocha and his output as one of the most internationally prestigious and recognized. His work has become global, not because it is scattered across the world, but because it is “universal,” a “commonplace” of respected architecture, a unique reference.

“Two Houses by Paulo Mendes da Rocha” showcases a lesser-known aspect of the architect's work: single-family homes. In his discourse on architecture and life, Paulo always prioritized the public sphere—that which is intended for and concerns everyone. In this sense, and due to the coherence of his discourse, his collective work gained wider dissemination and subsequent prominence over the years. Yet it is precisely because of Paulo Mendes da Rocha's consistency—a trait I will return to later—that I became interested in researching and highlighting this presence in his lesser-known works as well.

Drawing from the Casa da Arquitectura collection, two houses separated by three decades and built in very different contexts are placed side by side: one from the “new world,” in São Paulo, a territory of expansion (the Gerassi House); and the other from the “old world,” in the historic center of Lisbon, within a consolidated and partially landmarked urban fabric (the Quelhas House). The two projects have notable differences in their production: while the Gerassi House was completely hand-drawn and designed entirely in his office, the Quelhas House, co-authored with Inês Lobo, was produced in the computer age.

“Two Houses by Paulo Mendes da Rocha” allows for distinct interpretations through three interpretive mediums: the exhibition, the accompanying book, and a film of the two houses shown in two projections. Different perspectives are brought to light: spatial perception understood through scale models built specifically for this purpose; an aesthetic essay in photographic form through the lens of photographer Leonardo Finotti; and various architectural readings provided by texts from authors connected to the architect or the works in question. Finally, the film offers two different types of insights: a more technical one, showing visits to the construction sites to complement the drawings; and a more personal one, delivered through the testimonies of clients who recount their experience working with the architect and living in a space designed by Paulo Mendes da Rocha.

Architecture is never detached from the person who produces it and their context. Paulo Mendes da Rocha, who is undoubtedly the most consistent person I know, transfers to his work the same coherence that runs through his way of thinking and acting, eliminating any potential cognitive dissonance in the creative process.

Fernando Pessoa notes that “a work of art, however scattered its detailed execution may be, must always be a single, organic whole, in which each part is essential both to the whole and to the other parts connected to it”(1). And so it is with the work of Paulo Mendes da Rocha. To be understood, it must be read as a whole, in which each achievement is part of a broader, clear, translucent, and sharp universe: his own. Fortunately, it is not a simple universe or one of immediate comprehension; it requires preparation and certain tools to be understood. However, it is a systemized, organized, orderly, and deeply meaningful universe, just like his architecture. Those fortunate enough to have spent time with Paulo often experience the generosity of journeys that cross through this universe of his before even arriving at architecture. As the architect says in the film Tudo é Projeto (Everything is a Project)(2) by directors Joana Mendes da Rocha and Patricia Rubano: “The conversation is going a bit into the stratosphere; we can talk about architecture, but I can't talk about architecture without talking about these things.”

Architecture is part of Paulo Mendes da Rocha's universe, and houses are an inseparable part of his work. The compositional, formal, aesthetic, and organizational principles present in the houses are the same as in the rest of his architectural work, and above all, they follow the same line of consistency in their relationship with the city and society.

The primary living spaces in the various houses designed by the architect emphasize gathering, sharing, and family socialization, both among the family members themselves and in their relationship with visitors or guests. Architecture shapes how space is inhabited and, to a certain extent, contributes to a daily education in respect, coexistence, and sharing among family members. In the Butantã House, built for his own family, this emphasis on the collective takes on special importance through the prominence given to social areas, while private spaces are more restricted, featuring walls that do not reach the ceiling. Sharing is almost total.

In both the Gerassi House and the Quelhas House, though in different ways, social spaces for gathering and sharing are prioritized. In the Lisbon house, this condition is reinforced by the spatial relationship created by double heights and voids that allow open communication between floors. Here, visual connections between the various spaces are accompanied by the sharing of sounds and aromas from different environments. While sitting in the living room, reading or contemplating the magnificent landscape, one is invited to sense dinner being prepared, guessing the menu even before the meal is served on the floor below. This level of connectivity and openness reduces the sense of distance that might otherwise arise in a home spread across five floors.

The swimming pool, also a recurring element in public buildings with different programs, serves as a unifying element for experience and socialization. In the houses, whether built on the ground floor or an upper level, the pool acts as an outdoor extension of the living room, with its cement tile floor sharing the same pattern as the living room. The pool is “the flooded living room.”

The presence of concrete, a constructive element with a structural function, is also embraced in both houses for aesthetic purposes. The textured exposed concrete becomes a powerful presence, unifying and “embracing” the distinct spaces of the homes. The way concrete is crafted in each house differs, yet both respond to the unique challenges posed by the architecture. In the Lisbon house, the bold structural engineering by Rui Furtado not only retains the existing front facade and allows for large spans but also elevates and supports the pool on an upper floor. In the São Paulo house, precast concrete engineered by Siguer Mitsutani addressed specific financial and scheduling challenges caused by the hyperinflation of the era, allowing the house to be assembled in just four days. Furthermore, because the concrete in the Gerassi House is precast, it imbues the construction technique—which carries an ideological weight—with an appreciation for the workers who built the house.

Another characteristic of Paulo Mendes da Rocha's architecture is his emphasis on technique and his reliance on the freedom offered by bold structural solutions, achieved through productive partnerships with skilled engineers. This fruitful interdisciplinary relationship during the design process is a hallmark of his work, resulting from a constant dialogue between mutually supportive partners. According to Paulo, architecture serves to “support the unpredictability of life” and “highlight the success of technique.”

The relationship with the street in both houses shares the ability to foster a healthy, open connection between public and private space, interior and exterior, and the core of the lot or block and the street. This pursuit of formal relationships between private and collective spaces, between street and lot, stems from a desire to counter the collective schizophrenia and flawed notion of contemporary society that walls provide safety because danger comes from the “other,” from those we do not know.

Architecture, particularly that of Paulo Mendes da Rocha, offers us the opportunity to experience daily life differently—to embrace new habits and to foster human relationships in a new way, both within the family and in society.

The living spaces designed by Paulo Mendes da Rocha present a proposal for collective living and sharing, fostering growth and happiness. It is “the joy that architecture provides.” Each house is a proposal to transform a place, generate a home, and establish one's own address. Everyone's address — my address.

Such is living, according to Paulo Mendes da Rocha.

(1) Letter from Fernando Pessoa in response to Cabral do Nascimento.
(2) Film about the life and work of Paulo Mendes da Rocha produced in 2017 by Olé Produções in partnership with Opa and Canal Curta, with the support of Casa da Arquitectura.

“Two Houses”
September 28 to February 10, 2019
Casa da Arquitectura
Avenida Menéres, 456, Matosinhos, Portugal
Information: www.casadaarquitectura.pt