A couple approached us to renovate the apartment that would become their new home in Brasília. Located in a building from the early decades of the capital’s construction, the apartment was conceived as a shelter for memories gathered during their travels around the world.

The standout feature of the apartment is a cumaru wood shelving unit that runs through the living room, curves into the kitchen, and transforms into a built-in panel that houses appliances and pantry storage. At one end, the shelf forms the main entrance door; at the other, it opens to reveal the powder room. The dimensions of the shelving unit were carefully calculated to accommodate the residents’ collection of books and objects.

The clients' main requests were for spacious, well-lit, and timeless interiors, as well as the integration of the kitchen into the social area. To overcome structural limitations of the apartment, the kitchen was designed as a white volume that visually stands out from the living room. This volume also includes a counter that serves both as a bar and buffet, and a window-like opening between the rooms that enhances visual flow throughout the space.

The apartment features máximo-ar windows with floor-to-ceiling metal frames, which were left exposed to preserve the building’s original character and create a dialogue between modernist and contemporary elements. During demolition, a floating floor was removed, revealing original Ipê hardwood planks, which were restored and extended to cover the entire apartment.

In the kitchen, the wood flooring transitions into hydraulic tiles, with a pattern designed to blend with the shadows cast by the cobogós (breeze blocks) that cover the building’s façade. The light patterns on the floor create a play of forms that was intentionally designed to echo the chosen tile motif.

Another nod to Brasília’s architectural context can be found in the bathrooms, where 2.5 x 5 cm white ceramic tiles cover all the walls — from the powder room to the en-suite. These tiles reference the textures and finishes commonly found in the pilotis of superblock buildings, as well as other public spaces and urban elements from the capital, particularly those built in the 1960s and '70s.