Contemporary Residence In Botucatu, Brazil

Finished in 2014 following a design by FGMF Arquitetos, this residence is located in Botucatu, Brazil, and it flaunts 5,618 square feet of living space. It was designed for a young couple and features a series of intermediary spaces that strengthen the relationship between the interior and exterior spaces. Echoing the modern architectural approach of Vilanova Artigas, the indoor spaces comprise different sections that are organized under an exposed concrete roof.

The roof was positioned in such a way as to provide shade for the entire home during the warm season and to help create a large terrace connected to a relaxation area and a swimming pool. During the cold season, lower sunlight passes below the roof and ensures warmth for the entire residence.

From the architect:

This residence, destined for a young couple, seeks to explore the relation between internal and external through a series of intermediary spaces. These spaces materialize a debate about where does the terrace, leisure area and tradicional spaces as living room or home theater start, as well as where are their limits.

The indoors is organized in diverse sections under a wide exposed concrete roofing in reference to the modern architecture from São Paulo, specially concerning the work of Vilanova Artigas. Each section is covered with different coating so to emphasize setorization, also improving immediate aprehension of their different functions. The terrace area that surrounds every ambient has simple height here and double height there, depending on where is the visitor located and relatively to the different internal volume. It is on this rich transition space that the inhabitans are expected to spend their time, in communion with the constructed space and the surrounding landscaping. Metallic footbridges connect the residence to compensation slopes, which serve as walls, revealing an upper garden for the familiar benefit while creating a gazebo at the main entrance to the house.

The positioning of the roofing was solar oriented. So that it will shade the entire house in summer and create a generous terrace linked to the pool and leisure area. Meanwhile, in winter, the lower sunlight -as it passess below the roof- will “warm up” the portion occupied by the residence.

The project came up from a simple concept: an “umbrella” roofing and structure sheltering dinstinct sectors of the house while a fluid internal/external space is created. This very simple concept brought up interesting aesthetic and spatial complexities as the project was being developed, enhancing this intention to create new spaces and so reinventing the tradicional Brazilian terraces.

Architect In Charge: Fernando Forte, Lourenço Gimenes, Rodrigo Marcondes Ferraz

Coordinators : Marília Caetano, Sônia Gouveia

Architects : Gabriel Mota, Thyene Schmidt, Bruno Araújo, Flávio Faggion, Heloísa Adam, Juliana Nohara, Monica Harumi

Interns : Gabriela Santoro, Mirella Fochi

Area: 522.0 sqm

Project Year: 2014

Photographs: Rafaela Netto

Structural Engineer : Edson Bispo Ferreira

Electrical And Plumbing Engineer : Projhel

Artistic Panel : Fábio Flaks

Landscape Designer : Caroline Bueno

Ground Analisys : ReforSonda