In Brazilian cities, we see new residential buildings being constructed with cantilevered balconies—that is, extending beyond the building's perimeter and encroaching upon the minimum required setbacks (referred to as afastamentos in Rio de Janeiro). However, what we have seen in recent years is a growing trend of enclosing these balconies with glass panels, consequently expanding the adjacent rooms. But what is the reason behind this enclosure? If there is a need to enlarge these spaces, why aren't they designed this way to begin with?
One of the reasons is that in several cities, the creation of balconies is not counted toward the allowable floor area. Consequently, by designing them into a building, developers are essentially adding extra square footage to the units. At first glance, there is no inherent issue with this regulatory tool, which is common in many local building codes. However, it becomes contradictory when these spaces are subsequently enclosed, abandoning their primary function of providing protection from rain and sun while offering open, covered outdoor areas for the apartments.
