Project: Serrana House
Architects: Coplanar Arquitetura
Author: Matheus Carvalho
Collaborator: Bruno Carvalho
Location: Brasilia, Brazil
Area: 115 m2
Year: 2022
Photographs: Julia Totoli
Located at a rural property 25 minutes away from the central districts of Brasília, this small house built in the late 1990s had remained closed and empty for ten years when the owners decided to renovate it so it could be utilized as a weekend and holiday retreat away from the city.
The Serrana house is located at one of the highest points of the terrain and, during the initial visits to the site, the great potential for integration with its natural surroundings and beautiful views was quickly noted.
In order to highlight the house’s social areas, the living room, kitchen, and porch were integrated in a linear manner along the façade facing the noble view of the horizon and sunset. The second bedroom is now relocated to where the old living room used to be, together with the main bedroom, along the house’s East-facing façade. This was done in order to “unclutter” the floor plan of the house and to obtain a larger living room, a larger kitchen, and a larger second bedroom. In the living room, a low-sill window at seat height is the main focal point of the room in order to highlight the view of the landscape and the horizon. The “television” is the view of the world outside.
The porch, a typical item of the traditional Brazilian farmhouse, is treated as an extension of the living room and becomes the main spot for social gatherings and family meals. In order to gain space without the need for altering the existing roof, a semi-circular wall of alternating bricks was built to create a small garden and a place for hanging rope chairs or hammocks.
Also taking inspiration from the traditional Brazilian farmhouses, both new and existing doors, and windows, as well as the structure of the porch roof, were painted in a strong vibrating color. Here, we picked the striking tone of Azul França (“France Blue”), as it was the shade of paint already utilized at the farm’s gates and fences as well as other parts of the property. The white and blue tiles installed in the kitchen and the bathroom were designed specifically for this project with inspiration from the old existing tiles that were found in the house, as part of the effective memories that guided this project.
The old house, originally lacking natural lighting and ventilation due to its claustrophobic nature, is now open to its surroundings thanks not only to the internal floor plan changes but also to the implementation of private courtyards at the back of the house replacing the old small windows with opaque glass, creating an open service area for the kitchen, a small garden with an outdoor shower at the bathroom, and a small reading area alongside the main bedroom. This allows for the house to remain fully open to natural light and ventilation in a safe manner while making the internal rooms feel a lot more spacious.
In order to highlight the house’s purpose as a countryside retreat, away from the bustling urban center of Brasília, the design has successfully integrated visitors and nature, with beautiful views of the horizon, the skies, and the striking “cerrado” landscape of central Brazil, while also preserving their privacy, safety, and comfort after sunset.
