Stacked Summerhouse By The Lake Takes In Nature’s Beauty

For the team at Arquitetura Nacional every project is like a piece of a puzzle. Each time there are unique and distinctive aspects which make each project stand out, just like each individual puzzle piece is unique and can only fit in one particular place. The team sees the design process as an incomplete puzzle with plenty of details to discover and new pieces to add.

Enseada House in Brazil architecture overwall

One such puzzle piece was the Enseada House, a project which the architects completed in 2015, after approximately a year of hard work. The house is located in Xangri-Lá, in Brazil and, as always, the biggest challenge was to make it fit into its surroundings and to establish harmony between all the elements included its design.

Enseada House in Brazil back facade at sunset
Enseada House in Brazil back facade parking area

The house itself covers an area of 317 square meters on a 483 square meter site. It was built for a young family that needed a summerhouse where they could spend their weekends and holidays. The main goal was to naturally integrate the building into the surrounding landscape. At the same time, the clients wished the house to be inviting and harmonious, allowing them and their guests to feel welcomed and to always enjoy their stay here.

Lake view Enseada House from Arquitetura Nacional

Because the site on which the house was built offers a wonderful view of a lake, the architects decided to make the most of the surroundings and to capture all this beauty in the design they created. In order to capture nature’s beauty and to emphasize the views, the team included a lot of fluid and open spaces into the design.

Enseada House in Brazil entrance at sunset
Enseada House in Brazil hallway and entrance

The house was built on two floors and is composed of two volumes. These volumes are stacked and they form two large overhangs. Both of these expand the interior living spaces, allowing the indoor-outdoor transition to become smooth and seamless.

Angle view of Enseada House in Brazil

The connection between these two volumes is a staircase which is linked to one of the exterior walls. On the ground floor, the portion of the wall adjacent to the staircase is covered by greenery on the exterior. This green patch emphasizes the house’s connection to its surroundings even more.

Enseada House in Brazil wood ground floor volume

The two main volumes of the house (the ground floor and the upper level) were designed using different materials. The top floor is a concrete structure which the lower one features materials such as wood and glass. These were chosen in order to better connect the house to the site.

Enseada House in Brazil ground floor living
Enseada House in Brazil kitchen connected to terrace

The glazed facades capture panoramic views of the lake and the surroundings. The social areas such as the living room, dining area and the kitchen are positioned on the ground level, being opened to the outdoors through sliding glass doors and enjoying access to decks and terraces.

Enseada House in Brazil green staircase wall

At the back of the house, the concrete volume sitting on top of the ground floor forms a large overhang which is used as a parking area. The ground floor is separated into two sections by a hallway/ entrance and one of them has a beautiful green roof.

Enseada House in Brazil kitchen interior
Enseada House in Brazil lounge area
Enseada House in Brazil white palette

The upper level takes advantage of the roof terrace and enjoys the same freedom and strong connection with the outdoors as the ground floor. Sliding glass doors offer access from the bedroom onto a tiered wooden deck and an adjacent roof garden.

Enseada House in Brazil kid bedroom
Enseada House in Brazil white bedroom
Enseada House in Brazil bathroom

The interior design is simple and based on pure and natural materials. Wood accents make all the spaces feel warm and inviting which the mostly white palette keeps them fresh and bright the bedroom is probably the simplest of all, featuring minimalistic furniture and white walls and curtains.

Enseada House in Brazil staircase with a cool handrail
Grey Bathroom Enseada House in Brazil bathroom interior

By exposing the interior spaces to the views and the surroundings, the architects allowed the fresh and vibrant colors featured by nature to become a part of the interior décor.

Enseada House in Brazil overhang space
Enseada House in Brazil overhang terrace