São Paulo-based architectural practice, Flavio Castro Arquiteto, has designed the Planalto house project. Completed in 2012, the striking property is located in Planalto Paulista, São Paulo, Brazil.
This chic Brazilian home has a built area of 600 m², and is built on a land area of 800 m². Built for a couple with two children the home is a great example of the current Brazilian contemporary architecture.
According to the architects: “A rectangular prism, perpendicular to the street, contains the intimate features of the house on the upper floor, occupying only half of the land and releasing the other half for recreation and landscaping.
“Serving as a support and focused only on the main floor, another rectangular prism, but in different proportions, contains the service and social functions of the house.
“The upper volume seem to rest on the main floor, which creates a series of statements that reinforce the architectural design. The main floor and upper floors are implanted orthogonally. Exactly on this single point of contact, there is the vertical connection between them.
“The metal beams on the edge of the volume parallel to the street, reinforce the idea of independence between the volumes and reveal the structural functioning of the house. The residence has a mixed structure of pillars and metal ‘I’ beams and massive slabs of concrete with 20 cm thickness.
“A garden-terrace covers the main floor block of the garage and recreation area. It can be accessed by the stairs at the recreation area. It is a space with multiple functions.
“The characteristics of the materials used in this contemporary residence such as chromaticism, texture and transparency were carefully chosen because of the intentions pursued in each space. While the transparency integrates, the concrete does the opposite. The concrete walls divide the space, while the large sliding glass doors bring the landscape into the house.”
Images courtesy of Nelson Kon
