Tropical residences
An overview of projects, products and exclusive articles about tropical residences
Project • By Parque Humano • Private Houses
Casa en el Bosque
For the concept of this project, we asked ourselves whether or not we were capable of building a house that would respect nature to the fullest and forge a connection with the building’s surroundings (without speaking of energy, sustainability, and ecology), and that through its impact and experience would generate that same respect for the natural world. To do so, we have taken advantage of the slope of the land in order to create visual connections at different elevations with the existing vegetation and landscape beyond.
The site is a splendid plot covering 3,500 m2 with rich and varied flora, very tall trees, and a view towards the layered hills of Valle de Bravo – a town 150 km south-west of Mexico City. The climate is cool in wint... More
Project • By VaSLab Architecture • Hotels
Casa de La Flora
Casa de La Flora
The latest member of Design Hotel in Thailand, Casa de La Flora, the 36 cube-shaped villas located in Khao Lak, brings a modern edge to this palm tree beach of Phangnga province. Designed by VaSLab Architecture, commissioned in 2008 by one of leading Thai businessmen Sompong Dowpiset, this beachfront resort was aimed to serve as a new high profile but yet humble destination hotel in this beautiful town of the southern Thailand.
The brief given to the architect is a unique resort that consist a series of pool villas with maximum ocean views possible. Facilities as reception lounge, swimming pool, pool bar, beachfront restaurant, spa, fitness, and library are the must-have programs in this hotel. The owner challenges th... More
Project • By Shirish Beri & Associates • Private Houses
Beach House
The idea of having a beach house germinated in my fascination with the sea and in my faith in Nature's healing, refreshing and rejuvenating potential.
Along with physical stimulation that the sea offers in the form of swimming, jogging on the beach, playing in the sand, etc., the beach house offered a peaceful natural environment with the soothing sound and sight of the waves breaking on the shore. The view of the sea from most spaces was also an important consideration. Even the kitchen also has the view of the sea on the west and of the property gate on the North.
I felt the need to get away from the busy routine of our architectural office to a place like this for the concentrated, undisturbed creative design process to happen. Thu... More
Project • By ArqDonini • Private Houses
Jungle/Beach House
Set inside a fantastic preserved area of rain forest, on the coast of São Sebastião, just 10Km from Barra do Una Beach, this house respects the environment due to the logistics of its construction.
The adopted system was a mix of dry solutions, iron frame, corrugated panels, dry wall, still deck, ready made aluminium windows etc. Building in the forest is not easy work, so we tried to avoid as much as possible sending too many people to work there. What usually happens with new constructions by the beach, specifically in this region, is that many people go to work there and never go back to the city, this in turn has created a huge number of slums.
We attempted to send this house to the site almost ready. Unfortunately, in Brazil we... More
Project • By GRAFT • Apartments
Birds Island
We have applied an integrated strategy of developing a zero-energy house that seamlessly dovetails the economic and environmental advantages of environmentally friendly living with the needs of a demanding and cosmopolitan clientele. The environmental and economic features of this way of living do not conflict with our client’s lifestyle; rather it furthers their ability to comfortably enjoy their time at home. While providing an expansive outdoor living deck that spans the whole of the site, the primary living space is concentrated inside cooled zones. A maximum amount of economical and energy efficient floor area is created and sheltered from the elements by a dynamic tensile structure. The traditional relationship between indoor and outd... More
Project • By Wallflower Architecture + Design •
Water-Cooled House
Hidden away from the road, the site is surrounded by a verdant screen of mature trees from adjacent properties. Breezes blowing transversely across the site being another notable aspect of the location. The owner had wanted a contemporary home that prioritized environmental coolness as a consistent attribute and to be able to enjoy the luscious tropical surroundings.
The concept developed for the home inverted planning and hierarchical norms common in local residential planning. To fully appreciate the mature and variegated natural environment and stretch the potential for visual depth and distance, the main living room and study were located in a pavilion on the second storey. It was designed with minimal enclosing and supporting str... More
Project • By studio mk27 • Housing
Paraty House
There is a legend which says that the region of the colonial city of Paraty and Angra dos Reis (between São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro) has 365 islands, one for each day of the year. Two boxes of reinforced concrete, rest fixed connected on the mountainside of one of these islands; two modern prisms between the large colossal stones of the Brazilian coast. The volumes project outward from the mountain, almost abreast of the beach, in a 8-meters cantilever. The house, of structural ingenuity, finds balance in the topography of the land, constituting an extensive open doorway and living space in the practically-untouched nature. In the rocks of Paraty, in the dense rain forest of the island, poisonous spiders, discover this orthogonal volume an... More
Project • By Camarim • Private Houses
Casa Tropical
Mundaú is a fishermen’s village in an immense beach in the state of Ceará, in Northeast Brazil. 3º 10’ 42.51” South of the Equator, years are split in wet and dry seasons, with temperatures ranging from 22ºc to 33ºc. Heavy rainfall from January to July ensures a fertile ground where vegetation flourishes until December.
The clients wanted a holiday house with 3 bedrooms that allowed wide possibilities of contact with nature. We have replaced the conventional solution in domestic architecture – a compact volume with internal circulation – with a gallery that surrounds the 3 floors of the house, and corresponds to 50% of the total area. Both the wooden skin that envelops the gallery and the suspended roof, shelter the house from the Sun whil... More
Project • By AL BORDE • Private Houses
Entre Muros House
The wish to set up, the search for living in harmony with nature, the need of autonomy for each one of the three members of the family, the low budget (understood as the optimization of resources and spaces) and the phrase: "There is always another way of doing things and another way for living", settled by her, were the starting point for the design.
Far from the pollution of the city, the house is set in the hillside of the Ilaló volcano in a indomitable land. It's limited by two streams opened to the landscape of the valley. A cut in the sloping land helps to generate a platform for the project and also to get enough raw material to build the gravity walls. The waving form as a result of this cut in the land, defines the position and... More
Project • By Studio Arthur Casas • Restaurants
KAA Restaurant
São Paulo is a City that reveals itself behind the walls which makes some places amazing and special.
The discrete facade of the newest restaurant KAA gives no hint of what may prove to be internally. Inside, the narrow space of 798 m2 gets a new depth through the Green verical wall with plants from the Atlantic forest. The water mirror on the botton of the tropical green wall refers to “Igarapés”, that were so common before as well as nowadays in that region.
The huge stand at the bar that divides the big environment of the restaurant in 2 separate áreas is to suport indigenous original pieces which mimic with the bottles, cups and books. The roof made with canvas opens automatically. The furniture is contemporary and the philosophy of... More
Project • By SPG Architects • Housing
Casa Torcida
Charles Lindsay
Caption
SPG Architects transformed an abandoned steel frame and concrete slab structure into a five-level, 18000 SF, indoor-outdoor residence on a rain-forested mountainside overlooking the Golfo Dulce. The house is environmentally sensitive, technologically advanced, and modernist by design. A flexible building perimeter provides a seamless flow from inside to out that completely blends the built environment with the natural setting and the spectacular views. The house is energy self-sufficient - appliances and lighting were chosen for low power consumption that is sourced by photovoltaic cells on the roof. Solar hot water panels provide domestic hot water. Maximizing cross ventilation and ample overhangs... More
Project • By studio mk27 • Private Houses
Bahia House
The Bahia House is an ecological house. But, not in the technological sense, not in the contemporary sense of the word “sustainability”, it does not have the very latest state-of-the-art gadgets that make it possible to optimize electric expenditure. The organization of the floor plan and the use of materials come close to those of traditional architecture. The Bahia House makes use of the old popular knowledge that has been reinvented and incorporated throughout the history of Brazilian architecture. The house was considered for where it is, for the climate of where it is, for Bahia. And, for this no “green” software was used, no equipment and no calculations were made.
The builders of bahian traditional houses have long-known how t... More
Project • By Hiroshi Nakamura & NAP • Housing
Dancing trees, Singing birds
Located in Ebisu, Tokyo, Bird Park is an apartment where people and birds can live in total harmony. We believe that the pleasure of living with nature can be communicated through architecture, and by living face to face with nature can raise the awareness of sustainable living in each individual. Architecture is usually seen to be concerned only with humans, but by expanding the target to plants and animals, we thought it could familiarise more people to architecture. It is an apartment sympathetic to both human and to the environment.
The site is located in the very central district of Tokyo surrounded by trees over 20m high. We felt that such greenery was a precious asset to a crowded city like Tokyo, and wanted to preserve this fore... More