Architects: Arquipélago Arquitetos
Area: 1507 ft²
Year: 2019
Photographs: Federico Cairoli
Manufacturers: Rothoblaas, Mato Dentro, Soludimper
Lead Architects: Luís Tavares, Marinho Velloso
Mud Consultant: Fernando Minto, Pablo de las Cuevas e Domitila
City: Cunha
Country: Brazil
The House in Cunha, designed by Arquipélago Arquitetos, is located in São Paulo’s mountainous hinterland. Positioned on a hilltop for scenic views, it is partially buried to shield it from cold winds, using the excavated earth for rammed-earth walls. This technique, adapted with modular assembly, incorporates insights from physics and geology. Additional walls are made from locally sourced straw-colored bricks. North-facing rooms, including a northwest-facing living room, capture winter warmth, featuring a mud fireplace and a bonfire space. The wooden roof contrasts with the rammed-earth walls, marking human presence in the landscape.
The house is situated in the hinterland of Cunha, in São Paulo’s interior, a mountainous area traditionally recognized for its ceramic craft culture.
The design of the house is centered around its placement atop a hill, aiming to capture the best views of the sloping terrain and the Serra in the background.
To shield the house from cold winds, a 1-meter cut into the earth was made, partially burying the structure up to the height of the service area benches. The excavated earth was then used as the primary material for constructing the house’s walls.
The main walls of the house are built using rammed earth, a traditional technique updated with a contemporary approach. A unique formwork system was introduced that eliminates the need for metal bar perforations, making the construction process more efficient. This system allows the modulated components to be easily disassembled and reassembled.
This construction technique facilitated interdisciplinary insights, as physics, chemistry, geology, and geography broadened the team’s understanding of the landscape where the house was proposed.
The characteristics of hardness, thermal inertia, color, brightness, and tactile quality are all influenced by the physical and chemical properties of the specific soil used in the construction.
The remaining walls are constructed from straw-colored bricks, made of fired earth by a local pottery that sources aluminum-rich clay from the floodplain areas of a nearby stream. The house has rooms facing north, with one room oriented to the northwest to capture warmth during the harsh winter. The living room includes a mud-built fireplace and wood stove and is connected to a balcony with a large circular brick bonfire space on the floor. The roof structure consists of a wooden grate, forming two large horizontal wooden planes along with the floor, which contrast with the vertical earthen walls. The design aimed to emphasize the human presence in this isolated, wild location, with the straight lines of the structure contrasting against the gentle contours of the landscape.
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Project Location
Address: Cunha, State of São Paulo, 12530-000, Brazil
Location is for general reference and may represent a city or country, not necessarily a precise address.