A Simple Yet Sophisticated House Built On A Small Budget

The Block House has a very suggestive name but it’s also one that can be interpreted in several different ways. Once you see how it looks it’s easy to understand where the correlation comes from. This is a house situated in Criciúma which is in Santa Catarina, Brazil. It was designed and built here by studio ES Arquitetura in 2019.

Concrete and wood are the two main materials featured throughout this entire house
Concrete and wood are the two main materials featured throughout this entire house

What you see in these images today is the result of careful planning in the sense that there were a few important objectives associated with this project. This had to be a low cost project but at the same time the owners wanted their new home to be modern and sophisticated. In order to achieve this combo the architects came up with a structure that’s organized around a courtyard. They also used simple but sophisticated solutions throughout the project.

Sliding glass doors were incorporated into the space in order to easily connect them to the courtyard
Sliding glass doors were incorporated into the space in order to easily connect them to the courtyard
The exterior of the house is a collection of concrete and wooden blocks which are arranged around a courtyard
The exterior of the house is a collection of concrete and wooden blocks which are arranged around a courtyard

The central courtyard contains features such as a carp pond, a green wall, various ornamental plants and a connected leisure area with a barbecue spot. The pergola adds a nice and sophisticated twist to this entire area. The interior spaces are scattered all around this courtyard. They’re organized into a series of concrete and wood blocks, hence the name of the project. Everything is contained on a single level which helped to keep the cost low among other things.

The inner courtyard is spacious but also cozy thanks to its enclosed nature
The inner courtyard is spacious but also cozy thanks to its enclosed nature
The interior design puts emphasis on the selection of natural and pure materials
The interior design puts emphasis on the selection of natural and pure materials

In total, the house encompasses 247 square meters of living space. The house also has low maintenance requirements which goes hand in hand with all of its sustainable features such as the rainwater collection system, solar energy system and also the orientation which is meant to maximize sun exposure.

The house is surrounded by local vegetation and a variety of ornamental plants
The house is surrounded by local vegetation and a variety of ornamental plants
The site on which the house is built has a small slope which reveals the lowermost section of the building
The site on which the house is built has a small slope which reveals the lowermost section of the building
The central courtyard has a separate barbecue area with a wooden pergola
The central courtyard has a separate barbecue area with a wooden pergola
The kitchen and dining area are designed with darker color tones for a warm and cozy vibe
The kitchen and dining area are designed with darker color tones for a warm and cozy vibe
The green wall in the courtyard was created using thin steel cables arranged in a grid pattern
The green wall in the courtyard was created using thin steel cables arranged in a grid pattern