Cinco House

Fran Parente

• Architects

Cinco House is a residential project in São Paulo conceived to respond to and reflect the personal transformations of its inhabitants. Located within a residential condominium in the heart of the city, the house occupies a section of São Paulo where the urban density is softened by tree-lined streets and a more serene pace. The original structure features precise and restrained lines. The intervention preserved this architectural configuration while also integrating the family’s accumulated emotional references and material preferences over time, with Memola Estúdio leading the design process.

photo_credit Fran Parente — Fran Parente

The project was commissioned at a significant moment of change in the family’s life, when personal plans and expectations were being redefined. The brief called for a home that could evolve over time, embrace new routines and grow with everyday life. When the couple engaged the studio, they were still considering what their definitive residence would be; during the construction phase, the birth of their first daughter occurred in parallel with the design process, reinforcing the relationship between the house and the family’s living dynamics.

The residence spreads across approximately 450 square meters over four levels, organized around a vertical circulation core that plays a central role in the overall spatial configuration. Entry is on the lower ground level from the condominium’s communal garage, where technical spaces are also located. From there, a staircase visually and continuously connects all floors.

On the ground floor, the social and service areas are arranged, all oriented toward the garden, which brings abundant natural light into the interiors throughout the day. On the first upper level are the TV room and two bedrooms — one for the couple’s daughter and a guest room. On the second upper level are the master suite and the home office, the latter resulting from the conversion of a previously partially open terrace.

The spatial organization is based on the idea of layers, a concept that guided the development of the project. In conversations with the inhabitants, the design team identified an affinity with the thinking of Austrian artist and architect Friedensreich Hundertwasser (1928–2000), who considered the home to be one of the “skins” of a human being — an extension of body and identity. In this project, that notion is reinterpreted in a contemporary manner: the original architecture, designed by Studio MK27, remains as a preserved external layer, while the interiors express decisions tied to personal expression, memory and everyday use.

To complement this conceptual dimension, the project incorporated an interpretation inspired by romanticism as a sensory and historical approach. This perspective — the result of an extensive phase of research into dwelling traditions — is expressed through material and surface treatments, textures and details inspired by the interiors of traditional Parisian homes, adapted to the Brazilian context. Elements such as patterned floors, refined moldings and architectural details that recall the sophistication of these historic spaces contribute to an engaging everyday domestic experience.

This approach is most evident in the vertical circulation core. The staircase, a structuring element of the residence, was redesigned to take on visual prominence. The guardrails were custom-designed in metalwork specifically for the project, accompanied by wooden handrails. The design underwent studies, prototypes and on-site testing to refine the layout, junctions of metal pieces and the definition of curvatures. Herringbone-patterned wood flooring continues throughout the circulation, living spaces and upper levels, creating visual continuity. The core’s walls are clad with wood panels featuring moldings of the same materiality, referencing the boiseries of traditional Parisian homes, reinterpreted in a contemporary language. Doors to the powder room, pantry and kitchen are seamlessly integrated within this ensemble.

On the ground floor, the living areas open onto the landscaped courtyard. To expand usable space and reinforce the connection between indoors and outdoors, the former terrace doors were repositioned to the edge of the eaves, fully incorporating that area into the living room. The ceiling height was preserved wherever possible, with the drop only where needed to accommodate the linear-diffuser air-conditioning system.

Lighting and electrical infrastructure remain exposed, but with a deliberately refined approach. Conduits and wiring are set away from the slab and walls, suspended by slender steel cables approximately five centimeters from the surfaces. The overall effect creates a sense of lightness, as if the infrastructure is floating in space. At the edges, these elements form carefully studied and prototyped curves that respect the ceiling profile designed by the studio and avoid abrupt interruptions.

The walls are painted in a sand tone, in harmony with the painted wood ceiling. A subtle band with a gentle chromatic variation runs along the surfaces. The earthy palette repeats throughout the project, contributing to a coherent whole.

The living room is organized around an open layout. A central island sofa defines the different functional zones between the seating area and the home theater. Brazilian modern design pieces sit alongside contemporary furniture and items from the family’s collection. Brown suede MP-13 and PL61 armchairs by Percival Lafer are paired with benches such as the Kork Fulget by estudiobola and the André bench by Fernando Mendes. A wooden bench adorned with glass tiles serves as a coffee table.

In the TV area, a Vivi armchair by Sergio Rodrigues is paired with red-finished MONO stackable tables by F.Studio. The TV console sits atop a masonry base of vertically stacked bricks that references the adjacent wall’s materiality. Above this, a wood-burning stove reinforces a sense of shelter. A mid-height concrete shelf houses media equipment and objects, while the walls display artwork from the family’s collection.

The dining room integrates seamlessly with the ensemble. The Litoral table by Jacqueline Terpins is accompanied by Tião chairs by Sergio Rodrigues upholstered in caramel leather, and Senior chairs by Jorge Zalszupin custom-upholstered in floral-print fabric at the ends. PH5 pendants by Louis Poulsen cast diffused light over the setting. Against the rear wall, a modular shelving system designed by Memola Estúdio extends across the entire surface, combining functions as a sideboard, china cabinet, bar, library and archive. Its metal frame, wood-veneered doors, stainless steel tops and steel-plate niches create a versatile and expressive piece.

The landscaped courtyard serves as a natural extension of the social areas. The walls are finished with textured terracotta paint from Terracor Revestimentos. Irregular stone slabs laid in a “caco” pattern form the flooring. A vertical planter supports a variety of plant species at different heights and densities, while a mature tree provides shade and privacy to the bedrooms. A custom tile panel by a Brazilian artist adorns the lateral wall, with designs reflecting aspects of the inhabitants’ daily lives in white with burgundy red details. The motif continues onto the barbecue countertop. Opposite, a swimming pool completes the outdoor space, ideal for warm days.

In the powder room, finishes follow the language carried throughout the project. The floor is laid with alternating red and rose-toned tiles in a checkerboard pattern. The walls are divided between rose-toned tiles on the lower half and textured beige paint above, with a burgundy trim marking the transition. A white pedestal sink is paired with a round mirror framed in wood and a shallow custom cabinet. The exposed plumbing and a brass and glass wall sconce complete the composition.

The kitchen combines references to traditional farmhouse kitchens with contemporary solutions. Set against a brown ceramic tile floor, dark wood cabinetry with framed doors and textured glass panels lines the right-hand side, complemented by reddish-toned marble countertops. The millwork was designed to be raised off the floor and stop short of the ceiling, lending a sense of lightness to the composition. Adjacent to it, a built-in banquette gathers a collection of vintage finds, adding character and a sense of memory to the space. On the left-hand side, the main custom-designed cabinet stands out with its painted rustic wood plank doors and slate countertop. Above, shelves supported by metal brackets display cookbooks and everyday objects.

On the upper level, a calm atmosphere shapes the design choices. In the daughter’s bedroom, a turned-wood crib with cane detailing dialogues with a suspended canopy. A neutral palette provides a base for color to emerge in accessories, artwork and textiles. A custom cabinet with gently rounded corners softens the space, and the bathroom shares the same finishes as the master suite.

The family’s TV room retains its welcoming character, with generous terracotta-toned upholstery, wood-floored surfaces and cabinetry, and indirect lighting that permeates the space — with color also present in artwork and fabric prints.

In the top-floor master suite, the earthy palette continues. The walls are painted in sand tones, while the door trim features alternating burgundy-red and beige ceramic tiles forming a striped pattern that runs along the main wall. This visually lowers the perceived ceiling height, making the room feel cozier. A curved upholstered headboard in salmon fabric offers contrast to the architecture’s clean lines. Custom-designed bedding introduces graphic patterns that echo architectural motifs.

On the veranda, original architectural elements such as white-painted brick walls and a rustic wood-slatted ceiling remain. The floor is finished in terracotta tile, with sinuous planters following the lattice guardrails. Wooden lounge chairs complete the space, oriented toward the tree canopy of the landscaping.

The master bathroom is organized into two connected zones. Irregular stone flooring in a “caco” pattern and canary-yellow wall tiles reinterpret traditional bathroom typologies. A wide marble vanity accommodates double basins, while a wood-framed cabinet combines ribbed and smooth fronts. A triptych mirror flanked by milk-glass wall lights casts soft illumination. The bathing area, separated by a half-height masonry partition and clear glass above, houses both shower and bathtub, with vegetation from the veranda providing privacy.

The former solarium has been transformed into a home office. Removal of the original frame gave way to a large glass skylight that maximizes usable space and invites abundant daylight throughout the day. White-painted brick remains exposed, while vintage jacaranda furniture anchors the space. Beneath the visible sky, the room reads as a place for focus and pause.

Cinco House thus emerges as a project shaped by time and precise design decisions, combining architecture, interiors and the everyday life of those who inhabit it.