The TT houses project is located in the city of Balneário Piçarras, on the northern coast of Santa Catarina. The land where these two houses were built measures 12.5 meters in front and 21 meters in length, totaling 262.50 square meters, and is situated 500 meters from the beach.
The front of the lot faces northwest, receiving afternoon sunlight. Each house has approximately 200 square meters, plus the area under the front pergola, which is designated for car shelter and pedestrian access.
The program requirements are distributed across three levels. On the third floor is an open terrace for outdoor leisure activities, featuring a spa, sunbathing area, and barbecue. The second floor contains the private area of the house, comprising a master suite with a balcony and two additional bedrooms with a bathroom and a living hall. The ground floor houses the social area of the project in an L shape, including a living room, dining room, kitchen, staircase, as well as a laundry room, half bath, and car shelter.
Vertical circulation is provided by a straight, suspended concrete staircase located directly in front of the main access door. The courtyard is the central element of the floor plan, fully connected to the social area of the house, bringing in natural light and ventilation, making it the coolest space in the residence. On the upper floor, the courtyard creates a strong connection between the interior and exterior; the upper hall features floor-to-ceiling windows. A large opening, almost fully operable, divides and simultaneously integrates the external space under the front pergola with the internal social area of the residence.
The building's shape derives from a grid of pillars, evident in the floor plan and the design of the side facades. This structure of pillars and beams is easily perceived within the homes. The upper floor is formally defined by a concrete box or edge that configures the balcony of the master suite. The architectural composition is primarily made of straight lines, except for the circular window on the second floor and the circular piloti next to the staircase.
The main materials used in this project were exposed concrete, solid brick, glass, and black aluminum fittings. Additionally, wood was used for the main access door, porcelain tile for the ground floor and terrace, and vinyl flooring in the bedroom area. Aluminum frames were chosen for this project due to their resistance to wind, noise, and the safety they provide.
The sustainability solutions are inherent to the design and project decisions, featuring simple, low-cost solutions that are highly efficient and functional. The houses have abundant natural light and ventilation due to the large glass areas proposed in the design, complemented by the internal courtyard, which is primarily responsible for keeping the environments well-ventilated and thermally pleasant. The openings, along with the courtyard, provide cross-ventilation, renewing the air in the spaces and maintaining a pleasant temperature in nearly all areas.
The building structure is made of exposed reinforced concrete. Due to the total width of 6.5 meters for each residence, the structural grid is only at the ends, along the dividing walls, with no need for internal pillars except for the piloti next to the straight staircase. All slabs are made of solid concrete, cast in place. The construction of the entire structure utilized raw pine wood, leaving the texture of these boards imprinted on the structural elements. The project follows principles and influences of modern architecture, clearly evidencing the structure as an architectural form, utilizing materials with their own identity, as well as exploring installation elements in the architectural language used, such as exposed hydraulic pipes painted black.
The structural frames feature closures that are sometimes in exposed solid brick, sometimes in painted masonry, or in frames and transparent glass. This project arises from the desire of our client to create modern and distinctive architecture for the real estate market on the northern coast of Santa Catarina. We hope that this positive example can influence the architecture currently being developed in the city, given the rapid urban growth.
