Project: Bento House
Architecture and Interior Design: FCstudio
Construction: Lock Engenharia
Structural Project: Praxis Engenharia
Location: Sao Paulo, Brazil
Area: 424 m2
Year: 2022
Photographs: Andre Mortatti
Text by FCstudio
Like a metallic container placed above exposed concrete walls, this house establishes two types of relationships with the surroundings. The upper floor can be closed 100% to block sunlight, guarantee the privacy and acoustically isolate intimate spaces. But, if chosen, the facade opens at strategic points for lighting and ventilation.
The ground floor, in the opposite way, opens up to the garden in a fluid way. The notion of inside and outside is weakened by the large glass openings, while the furniture establishes a harmonious dialogue between architecture and the Brazilian design of the pieces. We designed some of them, such as the Brasilia coffee table, the Ensamble dining table, the Box side table, and the Move bench.
The lower floor supports the ground floor and is in the basement so as not to block the view of the perimeter gardens. The project is a contemporary urban residence for a young couple with two young daughters. So functionality is essential.
The materials are sincere and unadorned. Steel, wood, and concrete are shown as they are and the natural wear of each of them serves as a very welcome testimony to the concept adopted.
From the public street, the Bento house is shy and discreet. The folded metal sheet of the upper floor and the gate creates a visual barrier so that, after crossing it, the visitor can perceive that the ground floor is integrated with the garden and represents an oasis in the midst of the urban fabric of São Paulo.
