MAJ HOUSE

Built in a predominantly residential neighborhood in São Paulo, the MAJ House was designed based on the simplification of material and visual permeability.

Surrounded by other houses and lacking privileged views of the horizon, it was decided to concentrate the main mass in the front portion of the lot, directing the view to the garden in the rear area. From this, structurally, the house is designed in a very simple way: on a horizontal plane in concrete (slab) raised 50 centimeters from the ground, four reinforced concrete gables are subtly arranged – two of them at each end, the two being central diagonally – and that in turn configure trapezoidal volumes that accommodate the support spaces (kitchen, pantry, laundry, and service areas in the first of them; and home theater and toilet in the second). This solution made a 13-metre-long central free span that accommodates the living and dining room and is closed in glass frames that can be retracted, allowing integrating the internal space to the outside.

The central gables extrapolate the limits of the perimeter of the floor, towards the garden, so that they seem to float about the lawn. Perpendicular to the two concrete volumes, the eucalyptus glued laminated wood framework is placed about this, accommodating the intimate areas on the upper floor. This volume, in turn, is entirely built on a light structural system made of wood, developed in partnership with ITA Construtora, which allowed for quick execution, low waste production and quality of the parts.

On the ground floor, the counterpoint of the light tones of the surfaces of the concrete walls and slab floors, together with the warmth of the wood in the ceiling and furniture, makes the space cozy. In the living room furniture, iconic pieces of Brazilian design stand out, such as the São Conrado sofa and the Siri armchair by Cláudia Moreira Salles, composed together with other modern classics, such as the Akari-10A lamp by the Japanese-American designer Isamu Noguchi. Like the architecture itself, the idea of lightness is conveyed to the furniture, with pieces that the lower base does not fully touch the floor, but, raised, have structures that subtly touch the surface, such as the sofa by the Italian brand Poliform. The color is minimally introduced in the decorative objects, cushions and upholstery of the armchair by Claúdia Moreira Salles.

The central dining room table in solid wood, has the same wooden finish as the furniture in the living room, and a special design by Bernardes Arquitetura, accommodating up to 12 people. In the composition, 10 classic chairs of Scandinavian design, Wishbone and Round, by Hans Wegner, acquired by Artesian; and Hoffmann Chair, originally designed by Austrian Josef Hoffman. In the gourmet area, the cabinets are covered in matte ebony wood and the top and counter in Siena granite.

On the upper floor, wood predominates on the floor and joinery with Bernardes design. Children’s rooms have study spaces with storage areas. The master suite has a closet. At the back, the veranda integrated to all bedrooms and home office, with wooden ceiling and floor, receives diagonal vertical metal pieces with horizontal wooden brise-soleils, protecting from direct sunlight and allowing the breeze to flow.

Despite being an urban house, the palette of natural materials in construction and furniture, added to the integration solutions, brought the feeling of a summer or weekend home, in contrast, the visual permeability to the tropical garden with banana leaves, coconut trees and philodendrons, designed by Daniel Nunes.

COLLEGE OF EDUCATION

ARPOADOR HOTEL

The project for the renovation of the Hotel Arpoador goes beyond the idea of ​​a cozy hotel, creating an inviting space, where interior and exterior are blended. Its lobby is integrated into the bar through a patio bathed in natural light, a continuous line connecting Francisco Otaviano and Francisco Bhering streets. The façade is composed of a large wooden panel loose from the structure, which frames the views for those who see from within and creates a subtle order for the building.

The beach climate permeates the entire choice of materials used in the project, from wooden flooring (alluding to a boat deck) to the straw, fibers, linen and cotton used in the interior spaces. On the top floor, the terrace presents a triangular pool with sea views. On the side overlooking the city, a space dedicated to wellness with sauna, room for massage, and another for exercises. The Arpoador offers 49 rooms.

All furniture and fabrics were developed from the concept of total work of art, which presupposes an integration between various forms of artistic expression. The woodwork was designed especially for each space of the hotel, from the rooms to the common areas. In allusion to the nautical architecture, the furniture of the rooms is made of pieces that fit together, allowing different uses. Both the fabrics of the interiors and the uniforms of the team had their colors inspired by the shades of the Arpoador beach, having been exclusively developed by Bernardes Arquitetura for the project.

ASA HOUSE

Sitting on the top of a hill where a preexisting property was located, the Asa House (‘asa’ is the Portuguese word for wing) entirely rebuilt the relationship between site and building. The house creates a ‘harmoniously contrasting’ relationship between landscape and architecture through the articulation of partially underground spaces and emerging transparent volumes. The site’s topography was designed in order to maximize the use of existing semi-flat surfaces as outdoor living areas while fitting key functional, circulation and soil stabilization elements in-between retaining walls. All access to the house – from visitors to staff – is done through this ‘topographic plinth’, which slowly uncurtains the surrounding landscape through sinuous passageways adapted to the original topography.

The distribution of all technical and service areas is also done through the plinth, including HVAC, parking, laundry, among others, which allows all systems to be centrally controlled and constantly monitored for efficiency. It also accommodates some amenities that are connected to outdoor activities, such as a gym and a sauna. The house’s main social and living areas sit on top of this plinth in a volume made of glass and granite, which resembles a garden pavilion as seen from the garden. Its thin, curved roof (the ‘wing’) extends well beyond its limits, providing important environmental protection to living and dining areas. Its large glass panes slide entirely within the walls that cap the volume underneath the ‘wing’, allowing interior spaces to be completely open to the outdoor and to become one wide varanda.

The glass panes are equipped with automated skins that roll down to control natural light and temperature. The wooden walls that cap each edge of this volume enclose more private spaces, a home-office and a kitchen. The private section of the house, where bedrooms and suites are located, are housed in a granite volume perpendicular to the ‘wing’. Its granite façade and smaller windows provide more intimate views to the garden while protecting the privacy of the bedrooms. A separate unit that connects to the main house through the garden was designed as both a guest house and a covered dining area equipped with a small kitchen and a barbecue pit.

The house has a total built area of 3300 sqm. The external walls of the plinth have been built with pigmented concrete. The top volume is made with galvanized steel structure with drywall enclosing covered with ‘freijó’ and ‘cumaru’ wood, native trees of Brazil. The curved roof is composed table made of steel and concrete slabs with waterproofing done with over thermo-molded film. Interior flooring is made with 0.3x3m ‘cumaru’ pieces, while outdoor areas are covered with gray granite extracted locally. The social areas of the house are enclosed by large-scale, sliding panes made of 18mm laminated glass in minimalist aluminum profiles. All HVAC and MEH infrastructure are centrally monitored for performance and are distributed throughout the periphery of the concrete plinth, allowing for easy maintenance access hidden from residents and visitors. The gardens have been designed with the use of native plants typical of the Atlantic Rainforest. The guest annex and private areas are covered with granite plates over metallic structure.

Asa House establishes a unique relationship with the site that boosts its sublime and delicate beauty. Veiled technical and structural systems enable the house to fully express its delicate transparency and connection to nature with minimal interference, while its life support systems apply the most up-to-date, and energy efficient sustainable technologies. The house is a unique example of the interplay between a highly abstract spatial concept with complex infrastructural systems.

CCM APT

With a very segmented original plan, the project for the renovation of this apartment united the spaces and integrated the entire private area. The family nucleus consists of the children’s suites, joined in a large suite – with the possibility of conversion for two in the future -, the couple’s suite and a private living room. A continuous circulation axis, all covered in wooden panels, was created between the living and dining room and the private area, giving access to the office and the service areas. In the dining room, a light stainless steel bookcase on the sideboard with a mirror in the background reflects the landscape of the Guanabara Bay and the Sugarloaf Mountain.

The materials were chosen considering the concepts of technology, lightness, and contemporaneity. Corian was used in all wet areas, from the kitchen and laundry to the bathrooms of the suites. The floor of the entire apartment is of gray granite in large slabs, to enlarge the environments and provoke the sensation of continuity. The granite used is a Brazilian natural stone in shades of warm gray and sand tones, and the mat finish used in the apartment seeks its most natural state. The wood used in the panels and joinery of the rooms is the natural Freijó wood in honey tone, which contrasts with the floor, warms, and gives comfort.

The pieces of furniture were chosen by the clients, a young family with two small children, combining the design of the 1950s with a contemporary aesthetic. In the living room, the Presidential armchairs, the Guanabara dining table, and the Senior armchairs were designed by Jorge Zalszupin and reissued by Etel. Bernardes Arquitetura designed both coffee tables in partnership with Etel. The curved sofa was also designed by the office, in collaboration with the upholsterer Carlos Rosa. The solid wood log sideboard is an essential element that joins living and dining and serves as a support for both spaces. The kitchen was designed to be clean and practical, combining technology and design, at the request of customers, with Gaggenau equipment, furniture from Valcucine, and a lunch table in solid and stainless Freijó wood, designed by Bernardes Arquitetura.

GLORIA HOTEL