A Concrete House In Brazil Floats Above A Lovely Garden

This beautiful house from Sao Paulo, Brazil is an inspiration to us all for the way in which it takes advantage of the land it stands out and the materials that it’s made of. The house was designed by architect Leo Romano and occupies a 1100 square meter area. The site is sloped and borders a beautiful native forest at its highest point, a detail which the architect took advantage of when planning the orientation and layout of the house. He gave it an L-shaped plan and accounted for the sloping terrain by elevating the entire structure off the ground. 

The reinforced concrete structure of the house is very beautifully shaped to give it a lightweight and sculptural look
The reinforced concrete structure of the house is very beautifully shaped to give it a lightweight and sculptural look
The main floor is elevated above the ground and this wide set of stairs connects the terrace to the garden
The main floor is elevated above the ground and this wide set of stairs connects the terrace to the garden

The house features a reinforced concrete structure and its main floor is up in the air, supported by a set of solid columns and pillars. These have graceful shapes and give the house a sculptural and artistic aesthetic. Below there’s space for a parking area, storage and laundry spaces and room for the garden to expand underneath the house. Although robust, the house looks rather graceful as a whole. Its interior spaces expand into the surrounding outdoor spaces, with several convenient connections between them. Various sets of stairs including a gorgeous concrete spiral staircase connect the living areas to the garden. Stone pathways run though the beautiful green lawn and lead to the pool area and the lounge deck. 

There's also this beautiful spiral staircase which reveals a lovely corner of the garden down below
There’s also this beautiful spiral staircase which reveals a lovely corner of the garden down below
The house has an L-shaped floor plan which extends along two sides of the plot, bordered by the forest
The house has an L-shaped floor plan which extends along two sides of the plot, bordered by the forest
The living room is open on two sides, with covered terraces that overlooks the surroundings
The living room is open on two sides, with covered terraces that overlooks the surroundings
The garden takes up most of the site, including the space underneath the house
The garden takes up most of the site, including the space underneath the house
The concrete pillars which act as support structures are beautifully shaped to look like outdoor sculptures
The concrete pillars which act as support structures are beautifully shaped to look like outdoor sculptures
The concrete floors act as an intermediary between the interior and exterior design of the house
The concrete floors act as an intermediary between the interior and exterior design of the house
The choice of colors and materials is simple but also bold
The choice of colors and materials is simple but also bold

The interior is simple but also quite bold, just like the exterior of the house. Concrete, wood and glass and the main materials used throughout the house and they complement each other in various different ways, highlighting the special and unique characteristics in each other. Full-height windows and glass doors and railings ensure that the wonderful panorama can be enjoyed from anywhere in the house. The forest acts as a privacy screen for the rooms facing the rear section of the site. This wonderful dialog with nature and the surroundings was at the heart of this entire project. 

The hillside and the forest act as a wonderful backdrop for this spacious lounge area
The hillside and the forest act as a wonderful backdrop for this spacious lounge area
The bedrooms feature vertical folding panels that can opened up to reveal the beautiful outdoor areas
The bedrooms feature vertical folding panels that can opened up to reveal the beautiful outdoor areas
The indoor living areas expand outside through this wooden deck which wraps around the landscape
The indoor living areas expand outside through this wooden deck which wraps around the landscape