BUILT
BRASÍLIA-DF, 2014
Finalist of the Instituto Tomie Ohtake Akzo Nobel Architecture Prize, São Paulo, 2017.
The house is located in a residential area in Brasília, far away from the urban center and occupied by small gated communities. This part of the city still presents some characteristics of the original countryside that has originated it. The young couple´s desire to have a house that would integrate itself with the surrounding landscape was the starting point of the project. Our objective was to use the architecture to highlight the landscape, not the other way around. An existing natural preservation area in the south and west sides of the plot and its strong descending slope towards the backside have both directed our response.
A big existing artificial landfill located three meters below the street level was extended using the soil that was digged out for the construction of the house. That decision has allowed the house to remain partially hidden below the street level, providing an unblocked view to the landscape. We have used a composition of predominantly horizontal plans oriented east-west, dividing the north and south portions of the plot. The bedrooms and kitchen are open to the south portion of the plot, facing the natural preservation area. All areas are connected in the backyard throung a continuous wooden floor. The living room in the central area of the house, the only room that opens to both north and south.
Authors: Daniel Mangabeira, Henrique Coutinho and Matheus Seco
Team: Rodrigo Scheel, Guilherme Mahana, Tatiana Lopes and Victor Machado
Built Surface: 410sqm
Project: 2011
Construction: 2011-2014
Structural Engineer: André Torres
Installations: Victor Silvério
Constructor: Moura Figueiredo
Photos: Haruo Mikami