Project: Botucatu House
Architects: FGMF Arquitetos
Location: Botucatu, Brazil
Area: 5,618 sq ft
Photographs by: Rafaela Netto, courtesy of FGMF Arquitetos
Botucatu House by FGMF Arquitetos
Designed especially for a young couple in Botucatu, Brazil, the Botucatu House is an ambitious contemporary project by FGMF Arquitetos. The inspiration for the design comes from the concept of an umbrella. The architects positioned the roof so that it protects the entire house from the sun during the summer. The main level is expanded with a swimming pool and lounge area, offering opportunities for outdoor entertaining.
From the architects: “This residence, destined for a young couple, seeks to explore the relation between internal and external through a series of intermediary spaces. These spaces materialize a debate about where does the terrace, leisure area and traditional spaces as living room or home theater start, as well as where are their limits.
The indoors is organized in diverse sections under a wide exposed concrete roofing in reference to the modern architecture from São Paulo, specially concerning the work of Vilanova Artigas. Each section is covered with different coating so to emphasize sectorization, also improving immediate apprehension of their different functions. The terrace area that surrounds every ambient has simple height here and double height there, depending on where is the visitor located and relatively to the different internal volume. It is on this rich transition space that the inhabitants are expected to spend their time, in communion with the constructed space and the surrounding landscaping. Metallic footbridges connect the residence to compensation slopes, which serve as walls, revealing an upper garden for the familiar benefit while creating a gazebo at the main entrance to the house.
The positioning of the roofing was solar oriented. So that it will shade the entire house in summer and create a generous terrace linked to the pool and leisure area. Meanwhile, in winter, the lower sunlight -as it passes below the roof- will “warm up” the portion occupied by the residence.
The project came up from a simple concept: an “umbrella” roofing and structure sheltering distinct sectors of the house while a fluid internal/external space is created. This very simple concept brought up interesting aesthetic and spatial complexities as the project was being developed, enhancing this intention to create new spaces and so reinventing the traditional Brazilian terraces.”
