The initial desire for privacy and the consideration of local conditions guided the design of this residence, closed out, but open to a triple height internal space with the purpose of establishing spatial wealth with a variety of ceiling heights, wide ventilation and climate comfort.
Studio Name: Arquitetos Associados
Design Team: Alexandre Brasil, Paula Zasnicoff
Site area: 435,00m²
Area: 410,35m²
Design: 2012
Building/completion: 2014/2016
Location: Natal, RN – Brazil
Photography Credits: Joana França
Other Credits: Collaborators: Raquel Araújo and Douglas Silva
The created volume explores to the maximum the parameters that regulate construction of the condominium buildings: minimum setbacks of five meters at the front, four meters at the bottom, two meters at the sides and a maximum of seven meters and a half height from the level of the first floor [provided that the first level sits on a maxim height of one a quarter meters from ground level]
This way, three floors were created. In the underground (semi buried) are the garage and ateliers; at ground level (semi elevated), the social and living areas; and in the upper floor, the intimate areas.
During the deliberate search for greater spatial variety and better arrangement of the program to the volume, it was sought to vary the design of floors rather than simply stack them. The other floors rise above the void. On raised ground two slabs extend in the transverse direction of the construction from one side face to another, interconnected by a footbridge. Living rooms and tv/cinema are allocated on the slab closest to the street. The dining room, kitchen and services area are on the further slab, which is integrated to the yard. On the second floor, where are the bedrooms and bathrooms, the slabs longitudinally extend from the facade towards the back of the house, interconnected through a transversal footbridge.
The construction’s first step was the soil excavation and its containment through a retaining wall, conceiving the space needed for future occupation. The volume of the residence itself rises over this void, with reinforced concrete pillars and slabs and metal structure and metallic tiles roof. Finally, the glass and solid brick external sealing are added to this frame, granting the residence its final appearance.
The differentiated arrangement of the bricks establishes small openings in the facade that allows the illumination and ventilation of the internal spaces. To ensure greater thermal comfort, a permanent ventilation strip was created in the upper part of the house, in addition to windows next to the floor, providing the Venturi effect.
