Architect: Flavio Castro Architects
Location: Planalto Paulista, São Paulo – Brazil
Year: 2012
Project, construction, garden design, lighting and interior design.: arq Flavio Castro
Design Team: Claudia Reis
Land area: 800 m²
Built area: 600 m²
Photographer: Nelson Kon

The exterior has a concrete finish and some are left exposed to give the house a rough texture.

The metal beams on the edge of the volume parallel to the street, reinforce the idea of independence between the volumes and reveal the structural functioning of the house.

The residence has a mixed structure of pillars and metal “I” beams and massive slabs of concrete with 20 cm thickness.

The garage is located inside the compound right below the deck with sun loungers.

The deck upstairs features a zenithal opening surrounded by river rocks.The house has a cantilever in the entrance that serves as the porch.

The glass walls can be utilized to open the living room for ventilation.

The dining room is decorated with beautiful pendant light giving the room a dramatic effect.

The recreation area has a floating staircase leading to the deck.

The recreation area features a floating staircase made of concrete.

The hallway to the bedroom has wood flooring and glass walls.

The staircase inside the house is made of exposed concrete and decorated with artwork.

The hallway to the house is decorated with beautiful artwork.

The bedroom features a chaise and an area rug giving the place a cozy atmosphere.

The master bedroom has a recreational area best for relaxation.

The outdoor features a recreation area and an outdoor kitchen.

The upstairs room features retractable wooden pillars to regulate sunlight.

The recreation area features a dining table, and is lit by the zenithal opening above the deck.

The solarium features a wooden deck and sunloungers, and glass walls for the pergola.

During the night, the zenithal opening is lit with pendant light to illuminate the recreation area.

The full view of the backyard of the house with the dipping pool.

The way of appropriation of the 800 square meters available for the establishment of the house (20x40m) is quite clear. Two large perpendiculars volumes mark the territory and categorize the uses and functions of other areas of the land.

A rectangular prism, perpendicular to the street, contains the intimate features of the house on the upper floor, occupying only half of the land and releasing the other half for recreation and landscaping.

Serving as a support and focused only on the main floor, another rectangular prism, but in different proportions, contains the service and social functions of the house.

The upper volume seems to rest on the main floor, which creates a series of statements that reinforce the architectural propose. Main floor and upper floor are implanted orthogonally. Exactly on this single point of contact, there is the vertical connection between them.

The metal beams on the edge of the volume parallel to the street, reinforce the idea of independence between the volumes and reveal the structural functioning of the house. The residence has a mixed structure of pillars and metal “I” beams and massive slabs of concrete with 20 cm thickness.

The main access platform, located under the front overhang on the main floor, provides access to the corridor 1.80 m wide running through the house, connecting various environments. After passing through the service area, we come to the point of access to two key areas: the social rooms (like an indoor pavilion) and the barbecue area (recreation).

We could consider them as areas, although defined, diffuse it provides a series of possible uses in addition to which they were designed.

The same type of access is provided on the upper floor, where the monotony is broken by bays of double height (stair and the fireplace room) and isolated pillars.

A garden-terrace covers the main floor block of the garage and recreation area. It can be accessed by the stairs at the recreation area.It is a space of multiple functions.

The characteristics of the materials used in this residence as chromaticism, texture and transparency were carefully chosen because of the intentions pursued in each space. While the transparence integrates, the concrete do the oposite. The concrete walls divide the space, while the large sliding glass doors bring the landscape into the house.

The materials are sincere. The concrete, glass, wood and steel are shown in its essence, without intermediaries.

The Planalto house was conceived as a urban house for a couple with 02 children and could be considered as exemplary of the current Brazilian contemporary architecture.