Project: FY House
Architects: PJV Arquitetura
Location: Jaragua do Sul, Brazil
Area: 3,013 sf
Photographs by: Larry Sestrem
FY House by PJV Arquitetura
PJV Arquitetura has designed the FY House on a pristine spot in the Brazilian city of Jaragua do Sul. With just over 3,000 square feet of living spaces, this contemporary residence opens up to a stunning sight of endless lush landscapes. On the inside of it, it receives a great dose of sunlight that shows upon its open spaces layered out with exposed concrete.
The FY house is located in “Condomínio Horizontes”, in the city of Jaraguá do Sul, Santa Catarina State, Brazil. The land has a big inclination both to the back side and to the north side. Its dimensions are of 26m x 40 m and the total area is of approximately 1,087 sqm. The customers are a young couple with a child. They were looking for something different and modern, with raw materials. They wanted an open house, both internally and from inside out. In addition to the common program for a residence, the house has an also a music studio and an outdoor solarium. The implantation of the residence and the arrangement of the rooms sought to solve three main issues: the adaptation of the program and the construction to the rugged terrain, the best use of the sunshine in all sectors and the relation with the surrounding landscape.
Two rectangles shape the main spaces of the program. One of them formats the social sector of the house, expanded by the direct integration with the suspended balcony. At this level are also the garage and service area. The upper rectangle contains the intimate sector of the house. The entrance hall is at an intermediate level and connects both pavements through a suspended staircase in apparent concrete with black iron safety rail and steel cables. The main facade of the residence is marked by the difference of a little more than 3 meters of height between one side and the other. Taking advantage of this difference, the box that forms the intimate sector of the house rests on one side on the ground while on the other side it is suspended only by a cylindrical pillar, which formats an open garage for two cars. The main materials used in the house were: reinforced concrete, corten steel, glass and black metal profiles. The apparent concrete was used in all the slabs, both in the rooms and in the bedrooms, in the pergola on the balcony, on the living room and lavabo walls, and in the structure, such as the pillars and beams.
A solar shading made of perforated corten steel sheets was fixed to the west facade of the residence, providing privacy to the residents and protecting these areas from the setting sun. As a sustainability strategy, it was given priority to the use of big glass panels for closing both bedrooms and social areas, besides the use of glass ceilings in the entrance hall and lavabo. Therefore, during the day it is not necessary to turn on the lights in these areas. Solar panels help to warm the water used in the residence and a buried cistern stores rainwater for use in the external areas, such as gardens and garage. The entire upper deck, suites and intimate room were directed to the east, taking advantage of the morning sun and the city view. A wood-covered terrace covers the social area of the house and serves the intimate sector as an external space, a solarium that connects the residents with nature and the city view. Formally, the project uses basic volumes articulated among themselves, in a simple and abstract language.
