Adapted to the hillside. Santa Teresa Hosue by Carla Juaçaba
17/08/2018.
[Rio de Janeiro] Brazil
metalocus, ANTONIO G DE JUAN
metalocus, ANTONIO G DE JUAN
Description of project by Carla Juaçaba
The house develops as a pavilion parallel to the contour lines, it is totally adapted to the terrain, and invisible from the street.
The Residence sits on a slope in Santa Teresa, a hilly neighborhood in the central region of Rio de Janeiro, on a densely green area and over 10 meters of unevenness. It was built near the street, next to the highest levels, enabling its building and the access.
Thus, the house develops as a pavilion parallel to the contour lines, settling on two floors. At the highest level there are the entry, kitchen, dining room and bedrooms, while the living room is in the lower level, 2 meters down. Facing the slope, every permanent-use environment offers panoramic views.
The two levels are connected by a glazed gallery, located in the part surrounded by the street and leaning in the rest of the house by the ridge line. The roof is precisely the most important element of the design, composed of four different inclination lines and two different materials.
The first Challenge was to develop the project according to the low costs, so the principle was a lightweight structure that was repeated many times, which made the project affordable. Also to open the house entirely to the forest, and the entry completely protected.
The house is not seen from the street. As if it was not there. It is built in a preserved area of Rio de Janeiro, and we have to keep all the trees, which was a challenge to the project. In addition to guaranteeing the privacy of the residents, the opacity draws silhouettes, seen from both inside and outside.
To guarantee the privacy of the residents, the opacity draws silhouettes, seen from both inside and outside: those who move inside glimpse the shadow of an old tree next to the perimeter of the construction, and those who watch from outside it can see the silhouette of who is walking in the gallery. The frosted glass used on the sloping faces facing the street is an important element of the design.
At night, artificial light changes the perception and makes this part of the house look like a giant flashlight.
Carla Juaçaba. Born in 1976, since 2000, she developed her independent practice of architecture and research based in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Her office is currently engaged in both public and private projects, focusing on housing and cultural programs.
Since undergraduate student she worked with the architect Gisela Magalhães of the Niemeyer’s generation, mostly in the area of exhibitions related to the Brazilian native arts and historical museums.
During her first year after college (2000) she worked jointly with another architect Mario Fraga on the project named “Atelier House”. Following that, a series of projects have been conceived such as the “Rio Bonito house” (2005), the “Varanda House”(2007), the “Minimum House”(2008),“Santa Teresa House” in its final stage (2012), and a couple of exhibition design. Current works includes the ephemeral pavilion conceived with the senior scenographer and theather director Bia Lessa, “Humanidade2012” for Rio+20, the recent international meeting held in Rio de Janeiro. And also two houses on the outskirts of Rio.
Carla Juaçaba is constantly a part of the academic and teaching realms, as well as research studies, lectures, biennales, exhibitions and recently was the Jury at BIAU Bienal Ibero Americana in Madrid (2012). She is currently teaching at FAU-PUC RJ Pontifícia Universidade Católica.
Her work is focused on an intrinsic issue of the discipline: the poetics of tectonics, and its expressive potentiality.