Under the roof – Brazil

Planar House is a radical exercise in horizontality, as are most houses designed by famed studio Studio MK27. Discreetly inserted in the highest point of the plot and favoring the existing topography, its presence is most strongly felt in the footprint rather than volume.

This type of insertion on the plot demanded care and attention with the design of the rooftop, which is the fifth facade of the building. The green roof mimics the surrounding lawn as well as contributes to the thermal comfort in the house. Structurally, the slab is a rigid platform that is not supported by beams but directly by the pillars, which are distributed in three axes. The cross-shaped metallic pillars are homage to the elegant proportions of miesian architecture.

Under the roof there are two programmatic boxes, The living rooms can be completely opened or closed by sliding glass doors transforming the entire house into a terrace. A translucent multi-colored club-chair hanging from the slab becomes the focus of attention and contrasts with the horizontality of the house. Surrounding the rigid formal spaces, there is a vertical winding wall made of solid bricks arranged in solids and voids. Paradoxically, it defines the different relationships between the internal and external spaces.

The wall, which is usually a symbol of division and isolation, in this project, is at times concave and at others convex, embracing the entrance garden and creating transparencies as well as offering protection from the street. Its brick texture contributes to a cozy atmosphere and creates light filters with kinetic effects as the day passes.