
- Project Type: Residential, Private House
- Designer: Bruno Rossi Arquitetos
- Location: Brazil, Ubatuba
- Year: 2017
- Size: 190 sqm
- Photo Credits: André Scarpa
The project for the house in Praia do Prumirim is located on the north coast of the state of São Paulo and is designed in the middle of the dense Atlantic forest of the São Paulo seas, a few meters from the sea. Due to the abundant afforestation, its implantation faces great limitations regarding the area of vegetation suppression, which represented a strong constraint in the occupation of the land. In this way, the main premise of architecture was concerned with ensuring the enhancement of living spaces, from the formation of patios that promote the integration of environments and benefit from large openings, bringing the green of the forest into the interior of the house, as a hut open to vegetation.
The project’s program was designed not only as a summer shelter for the couple with three grown-up children, but also as a possible main home for the couple in the near future, allowing them to enjoy retirement amid the natural landscape. For this purpose, the 100m² ground floor guarantees the accommodation of the essential functions of the house, in addition to the master bedroom, with dining, living and kitchen integrated in a single patio, with double height, expanding the entry of light, ventilation and visibility to the forest, like a large balcony open to the sea breeze. The children’s three bedrooms and bathrooms in common use occupy the upper level, due to the legal need for compact construction of the building.
In the case of a house on the beach, some issues should be considered in the structural system, such as the proximity to the native forest, the hot and humid climate, characteristic of the São Paulo coast, and the use of local labor in the development of a large part structure and infrastructure. In view of these considerations, the conventional structure of concrete and solid bricks was chosen in the most compartmentalized wing of the house (bedrooms, kitchen and wet areas), guaranteeing the expertise of the local workforce and the thermal load of the material. Supported by this massive wing, a large wooden structure is developed, reinforced by three pillars also made of the same material.
The option for the laminated wooden structure, produced by ITA Construtora, prepared in the factory and assembled on the jobsite, was due to its technical qualities in overcoming larger spans, resistance, precision of the fittings, quick assembly and for corresponding to the collective imagery of the house. Beach. The thermal quality of the environments is given by the qualities of solid brick, the use of thermoacoustic tiles and, above all, by the permanent ventilation guaranteed in the design of the frames and shutters. The northwest façade is made of glass, with screen protectors acting as a brise.
The northwest façade receives wooden shutters, also developed with local material and labor. As a result, the project explores the possibilities of different construction and structural systems, expressing the very nature of the materials, in accordance with their surroundings, in addition to promoting effective communication between the home’s environments and the pre-existing forest.