Small House in Brazil Celebrates Family Living And Modern Design

The C5 House is a family home designed and built by studio Martin arquitetura + engenharia. It was created with one goal in mind: providing a family-friendly environment with lots of kid-friendly features. It occupies a site in Capão da Canoa in Brazil. It was molded after the preferences and personalities of its main users, in this case two children of ages 6 and 9. The most sought after feature was the garden. After previously living in a small apartment in the middle of the city, the kids were very happy to have a big outdoor space to play in. This wonderful Brazil house is also lovely on the inside. It has a 204 square meter floor plan organized on the single level.

The porches at the front and the back of the house have concrete frames and wooden slats
The porches at the front and the back of the house have concrete frames and wooden slats
The large skylight allows natural light to pass through the porch roof
The large skylight allows natural light to pass through the porch roof
The back of the house opens onto a lawn and garden for the children to play in
The back of the house opens onto a lawn and garden for the children to play in

The architects prioritized throughout this project all the elements related to family activities. It’s why they made the bedrooms small and for sleeping only (no distractions) and why they designed a variety of spaces for the children’s leisure and educational activities. Even the carport doubles as a covered playground during the rainy days.

The social areas are connected and form a large open plan space with a high ceiling
The social areas are connected and form a large open plan space with a high ceiling

The social and private areas inside the house are separated by a brick wall which doesn’t touch the ceiling but leaves space for air and light circulation. This distinct characteristic makes the wall appear less robust and maintains a connection between the spaces on either side of it. The front and back porches also serve as connectors but between the indoor areas and the outdoors.

The kitchen island doubles as a bar complemented by a set of five hanging pendant lamps
The kitchen island doubles as a bar complemented by a set of five hanging pendant lamps
The living room is also part of the open social area but has its own semi-separate space which gives it a cozy look
The living room is also part of the open social area but has its own semi-separate space which gives it a cozy look
A large multipurpose bookcase covers a big wall section in the living room, featuring wooden cubbies
A large multipurpose bookcase covers a big wall section in the living room, featuring wooden cubbies
The house as a whole focuses mostly on the practical and functional aspects of the design but doesn't neglect the aesthetic side
The house as a whole focuses mostly on the practical and functional aspects of the design but doesn’t neglect the aesthetic side
The concrete porch frames contrast with the wooden slats and the white walls
The concrete porch frames contrast with the wooden slats and the white walls
The outdoor spaces play a very important role in this project and are linked to the children's desire to spend more time outside
The outdoor spaces play a very important role in this project and are linked to the children’s desire to spend more time outside
The covered porches and carport can double as playgrounds during the rainy days when the garden is off limits
The covered porches and carport can double as playgrounds during the rainy days when the garden is off limits
The simplicity of the materials and finishes involved give the house a very modern and balanced look
The simplicity of the materials and finishes involved give the house a very modern and balanced look