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Architects: Beatriz Meyer, SIAA
- Area: 321 m²
- Year: 2017
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Photographs:Pedro Kok
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Lead Architects: Beatriz Meyer, Eduardo Gurian
Text description provided by the architects. Located in Jardim Paulistano, a traditional neighborhood in São Paulo, the site designated to host a young family has a perimeter of 10 meters width and 30 meters long, as usual in this area. According to the local urban legislation, the building should respect a 5 meter strip free of edification in front of the site, as well as a 3 meters strip free in the back, a 3 meters strip free at least along one of the sides and a 1,50 meters strip free in both sides from the second floor.
Therefore, the clients desire to have a generous garden beyond the housing programs along with land use and building parameters led to a verticalized project. The building moves away from the sides and constitutes itself as an autonomous volume in relation to the site.
Thus, the ground floor perimeter is defined by glass façades which constitutes a smaller plot than its upper floor, expanding the view up to the site boundary walls. This loose volume in the midst of the dense garden offers full integration between interior and exterior, emphasizing the vegetation presence through all the spaces. This decision ensured natural light and ventilation through strategically placed openings to the interior. Interrupting the garden continuity, two courtyards are formed by the boundary walls, offering light and ventilation for service activities located underground.
Unlike the transparent volume in the ground floor, the upper floor constitutes itself as a opaque mass. Its form is defined by two long gables that guide the structural grid, a rithmic of metal columns revealed on the ground floor. Cladded with industrial metal tiles, the gables that conforms this opaque volume offers the sensation of a two-story house. In addition, its trapezoidal geometry protects the glass volume and accommodates the desired layout for the intimate rooms. Located at the volume edges, the dorms have special openings marked by a metallic curtain which controls the insolation. Furthermore, these elements unleash the side gables and assure identity to the materiality of the whole.
Above this volume, a large terrace opens view to the city and enlarges the presence of nature throughout the building. Deck and peripheral garden that goes around the entire volume create a living ambiance to enjoy landscape view and the shadow of a century old typical brazilian tree, located in a neighbour site. In addition, a small metal pavilion allows access to the outdoor area, as well as houses an office area and technical areas.
The use of materials such as glass, tiles and metal doors answers the couple demands for low maintenance and high technical building performance. This apparently gross materiality contrast with the generosity and lightness of the garden that is present throughout the social spaces of the house.
