A House In A Glade Mixes Concrete And Metal To Make The Most Of The Site

Situated in the Mantiqueira mountain range that crosses several cities in Brazil, this house gets to enjoy the beauty and tranquility of a remote site surrounded by nature. It was completed in 2016 by Una Arquitetos and it sits on a gently sloped site, in a glade almost entirely surrounded by the forest. It’s a house built with respect towards nature, perfectly oriented and structured to offer the best views and to make the most of its site.

Mantiqueira house being assembled on site with a crane
This is a house organized on two long, wagon-style volumes
Mantiqueira house being assembled on site with a crane
The two volumes are perpendicular and stacked, designed in response to the site
Mantiqueira house being assembled on site with a crane
The structure and the design of the house embrace the gentle slopes on the site and lets itself shaped by the landscape

The architects embraced the conditions on the site. Where they encountered slopes, they created platforms and they made sure that the house makes the most of the views and the tranquility and peaceful ambiance that surrounds it. The 545 square meters of living space are organized on two floors. They’re pretty different one from the other.

Mantiqueira house being assembled on site with a crane
The site is in a glade, surrounded by forests and lush, green vegetation
Mantiqueira house being assembled on site with a crane
A pool is raised off the ground for better views over the surroundings
Mantiqueira house being assembled on site with a crane
The dialogue between the two volumes and the interior spaces in general is a bit unconventional

The ground floor was built with solid concrete walls.It’s robust, sturdy and durable and it’s also meant to blend in with the landscape. The upper floor, on the other hand, has a metallic structure and is supported by two concrete pillars. It sits perpendicular to the main level and has a wagon-like structure, with cantilevering ends. It was assembled on site with the help of a crane.

Mantiqueira house being assembled on site with a crane
At the core of the house the two volumes intersect and that’s where they’re connected by the staircase
Mantiqueira house being assembled on site with a crane
The ground floor houses the social spaces, featuring a large open plan
Mantiqueira house being assembled on site with a crane
The lounge area is focused on the fireplace and offers a variety of seating options

The ground floor houses the living room, kitchen, dining area and also a storage space. The upper floor holds two bedrooms positioned at the ends of the volume and a studio with access to a private terrace. Full-height windows and glass walls connect both floors to the outdoors, ensuring a strong dialogue with the landscape and bringing in the views.

Mantiqueira house being assembled on site with a crane
The bedrooms are situated on the upper level, at the ends of the volume
Mantiqueira house being assembled on site with a crane
Patios and bridges connect the spaces and ensure a constant connection with the landscape

An interior courtyard is formed and there are also various other functions and spaces meant to ensure a seamless connection between the indoor and outdoor and to connect the house to the views. The pool, for instance, is one of them. The bedrooms are also connected by a patio and there are various other such transitional spaces with a similar function. Basically every space gets to be connected to the landscape in one way or another.

Mantiqueira house being assembled on site with a crane

Mantiqueira house being assembled on site with a crane
After building the ground floor, the top level was assembled by crane