Decisive and peremptory lines silhouette geometric volumes, define sharp proportions, and give the project an aura of elegant rationality. Built from scratch in a markedly contemporary style, without concessions to stereotypes or superfluous “special effects”, but rather in harmony with the idea of new minimalism that characterises the ethos of ZDA, Casa Loti expresses and interprets an experience of living that is paradigmatic in this sense: great importance has been given to the role of light, amplified by the use of large windows and sharp angles.
In Santa Marinha we had to make three entrances. I don’t remember doing anything like that, although that’s what we enjoy the most – drawing the entrance, and also drawing the terrain. And it is always the most difficult delivery.
Our clients from Canada were looking to get away from the winter season and enjoy the tropical weather so were very clear in wanting to create an oasis that blends indoors and outdoors.
Our common goal of respecting the existing trees and a natural creek the property had was a must. This would generate a family dynamic that will be both fun and healthy.
This project is a private house in Sagamihara, Kanagawa. This building faces toward a park and a river while keeping privacy. For all of the family to be able to always feel a sign of them, the living room, dining room and kitchen is in one big space, divided only by the steps.
It is a two-story building with a unique floating floor and an open ceiling, which is connected to a working space and a Japanese-style room on the second floor. In the dining room, a big umbrella shaped light is hung so as the family can gather and have a meal together under it. The site is quite narrow, but with the open ceiling and steps, the space can feel wider.
Situated on a steep waterfront lot flanked by suburban context, the Four & Four House knits together the client’s affinity for mid-century, post-and-beam construction with contemporary adaptations. The site’s generous width with its semi-naturalized condition presented an opportunity for landscape elements to organize the sequence of the house in the form of four distinct courtyards. Clad in locally-milled yellow cedar, four massive beams frame these spaces:
Located in Gramado, Serra Gaucha, inside the Aspen Mountain condominium. The site is located in a land surrounded by trees, lakes and streams. On the 800m² site, a 500m² residence blends in with the land and its surroundings.
The RR house has 3 floors. They are the garage, social and intimate. The first floor is the car garage, cellar, extra bedroom and secondary access to the residence. On the second floor is the main access to the house, where the daily routine of the residence takes place, the television, fireplace, dining room, kitchen and gourmet space and its relationship with the land and terraces. On the third floor are located the bedrooms, three suites and two panoramic terraces.
Located in Caxias do Sul, in the Serra Gaúcha, in the Montalcino condominium, the PH2 house and its 467.74m² stands on a plot of 594.56m². The lot has a slight slope in alignment with the sidewalk and a slope towards the back of the land. These two have already oriented a condition for the project in addition to the internal regulations of the condominium.
The gap between the alignment and the bottom of the land is about 3.5 meters. North solar orientation is at the bottom of the land, very important in a city with few sunny days, extreme variation in humidity, many days covered by clouds and very significant rainy days.
The design intention for this residence was to examine the concept of ‘harmony,’ provide optimal acoustics and space for intimate performances while also accommodating the family’s daily needs, and balance the connection to the land and dramatically-changing seasonal views of the surrounding mountains. To accommodate performances, a cathedral-like volume was created for the main hall. The lower and upper volumes overlap with a large window that provides stunning views of the Wasatch Mountains. The music room was carefully located adjacent to the double-height space and living area so that seating and overflow could be accommodated. Given the unique nature of the residence, meticulous consideration was given to acoustics to ensure privacy between the music room and bedrooms above. Materials such as rosewood were used on the ceiling in the library and music room, with Zebrawood used for the media shelves and bookshelves. Additionally, each component of the home offers a distinct atmosphere of color, light, sound, and sight that becomes apparent as one enters and moves through the home.
This site is certainly one of the most unusual we have ever come across. There is no backyard. Instead a rocky ravine within the cliffs brings the Pacific Ocean right into its core.
The house is an extension of its location and could not reasonably sit anywhere else. It grows out of the rock organically and responds to the gorge that defines its base.
Located on the main street of a town near Valencia, the house is part of a fragment of 20th century history.
The existing façade and building footprint are protected, but the volume exceeds the needs of the new project. Faced with this situation, it is proposed to empty the interior space in ruins and show it in an innovative way. From the outside, the façade maintains its character, without modifying the street, which becomes a kind of scenery from another era. The tone of this old façade is unified with an antelope gray treatment that goes completely unnoticed.
Team Project: Fran Silvestre, María Masià, Sevak Asatrián, Paco Chinesta
Built Area: 814 m2
Collaborators: Miguel Massa, Paloma Feng, Javi Herrero, Gino Brollo, Angelo Brollo, Anna Alfanjarín, Laura Bueno, Toni Cremades, David Cirocchi, Gabriela Schinzel, Lucas Manuel, Nuria Doménech, Andrea Raga, Olga Martín, Víctor González, Pepe Llop, Anahí Aguilera, Awab Bek, Monike Teodoro, Gemma Aparicio, Fran Ayala, Rosa Juanes