Designed in 1981 by the architect João Batista Martinez Corrêa, founder of the brazilian office JBMC Arquitetura & Urbanismo, for his friends and neighbors Demétrio and Laura Yamaguchi, the residence located in Alphaville II — a pioneering residential development on the outskirts of São Paulo — reflects a period when many families were choosing to move away from large urban centers. Motivated by the search for security, greater family space, leisure opportunities, and closer contact with nature, this movement represented the hope for a better quality of life.
Set on an 840 m² trapezoidal lot with a gentle slope — 16 meters at the front, 18 meters at the rear, and approximately 50 meters deep — the house was conceived to accommodate the couple and their three children with a generous program that emphasizes integration, accessibility, and leisure.
The architectural solution is organized into two distinct blocks separated by an internal courtyard. The first block, facing the street, brings together the covered garage, the main entrance, and the living and dining rooms — all framed by large glass panels overlooking the courtyard — as well as the kitchen and laundry room, which are connected by a large sliding door that allows spaces to open up when desired. The second block houses the bedrooms on the upper level and, beneath pilotis, open-air living areas, a glazed studio, a children’s play area, and, at the rear of the lot, a 50 m² swimming pool. Gentle ramps ensure circulation without barriers between spaces, reinforcing the accessibility requested by the clients.
Material choices highlight permanence and authenticity: exposed concrete structure, brickwork left visible both inside and out, wooden flooring in social areas, and ceramic tiles in service areas. Bathrooms were finished with glass mosaic tiles. The roof, built with fiber-cement tiles, thermal insulation, and wooden ceilings, provides thermal comfort, complemented by cross-ventilation in the bedrooms.
Architectural details reinforce the project’s character. The outdoor paving follows a modular system designed with the aid of the Fibonacci sequence, creating a carpet-like pattern throughout the social area. Along the property’s boundaries, exposed-brick walls were crafted as muxarabis, filtering light while ensuring privacy.
Yamaguchi House captures both the spirit of its time and the aspiration for a life more connected to nature, while anticipating contemporary concerns with accessibility, spatial integration, and environmental quality.
