The art of living
When the owners of this breathtaking, two-floor apartment in Vila Nova Conceição, an upscale neighbourhood in Sao Paolo, Brazil, commissioned Brazilian architect Fernanda Marques of Fernanda Marques Arquitetos to renovate their home, they asked for two things: adequate space to properly display their burgeoning art collection and a swimming pool.
Although very different in nature, Marques saw that both requests represented a fundamental desire to surround oneself with visual stimuli and as such the pool was designed not just for swimming but also for viewing. Separated by 8cm-thick bonded glass panels, the slender, 10-metre-long pool stretches along the entire length of the double-height living room.
This exceptionally surreal visual is enhanced by the lush vegetation that grows on top of the pool making it more of an art installation and less of a swimming pool.
The modernist interiors embody a minimalist aesthetic of clean hard surfaces, neutral tones and an eclectic selection of furniture by mid-century Brazilian designers set against the backdrop of the owners’ art collection which includes highly respected artists such as Ernesto Neto, Edgard de Souza, Manoel Rio Branco, Zerbini and Tunga.
The apartment is a home of a couple with no children, the master bedroom takes centre stage. Designed as domestic “dress circle”, it enjoys great views of the living room, the pool, as well as the plant-draped patio beyond.