Casa Azul

Pedro Kok

• Architects

Located in Jardim Paulistano, a traditional neighborhood in the city of São Paulo, the lot, which will house a young family, follows the pattern of the region, measuring 10 meters in front by 30 meters in length. To the east, according to the legislation, setbacks of 5 meters in front, 3 meters in depth and 1.50 m on one side of the land are applied, which increases to 3 meters on both sides from the second floor of the building. Therefore, the owners' desire to have a generous garden in addition to the house's needs program and the parameters of the land use and occupation legislation led the project to verticalize the building, moving it away from the sides and constituting an autonomous volumetry in relation to the to the lot. Thus, the ground floor has its perimeter defined by four glass faces, set back in relation to the projection of the building and the limits of the land, expanding the visual sensation to the boundary walls. This loose volume in the middle of the dense garden offers a total integration between interior and exterior and emphasizes the presence of vegetation in all environments. This decision ensured indirect natural lighting and, through strategically placed openings, allowed natural ventilation of the environments located there. Interrupting the continuity of the garden, two patios are formed next to the boundary walls, guaranteeing sunlight and ventilation for service activities that are located under the glass box that forms the ground floor.

Unlike the materiality of the ground floor, an entirely transparent volume, the upper floor conforms to an opaque volume. Its design was longitudinally defined by two practically blind gables, which guide and define the structural part, giving rhythm to the metallic pillars revealed on the ground floor. Coated with industrial metal tiles that become guardrails on the second floor, the side gables give the impression of being a two-story house. In addition, its trapezoidal geometry protects the glazed ground floor and accommodates the desired layout for the bedrooms. Located at the tops of this volume, these environments have openings marked by a metallic closure that, in addition to controlling the insolation, highlight the side gables and give unity to the materiality of the whole.

On top of this volume, a large terrace opens onto the city, expanding the presence of green throughout the house. The south-facing deck and the peripheral garden that surrounds the entire volume create a living situation to be able to enjoy both the conquered landscape and the shadow of a century-old Pau Ferro that grows on the neighbor's land. In between, a small metallic pavilion allows access to the external area, as well as housing an office area and technical areas. The use of materials such as glass, tiles and metal doors met the couple's demands for low maintenance and high technical performance. This apparently raw materiality contrasts with the generosity and lightness of the garden that is present in all the social spaces of the house.