If the two outermost transverse beams of the roof slab descended to form the end walls of the main floor, they would align perfectly with the perimeter of the floor slab. Had the longitudinal beams not cantilevered twenty centimeters to support and offset the concrete end walls, there would be no room for the upper gutter, nor would a gap be created in the main floor to indirectly illuminate the interior. If low concrete-block walls had not been raised along the sides of this floor, the facades would lack their two overlapping planes and the constant shadow between them—and, at times, a third, intermediate plane.
The Niclewicz House is a true architectural treasure hidden in Curitiba. It is comforting to encounter such a serene and welcoming work in an era when almost everything is appearance without substance, and a misguided notion of creativity prevails, resulting in extravagant, visually striking, yet culturally irrelevant objects.
