Crystal House seems to float on water. The project signed by the architect Aquiles Nícolas Kílaris, has an imposing architecture and was conceived with columns – references from Greece from which Kílaris descends – circular shapes, Feng Shui elements, automation, sustainability (with renewable energy generation and water reuse) and lots of personality. On the double- height external façade, a huge wave-shaped sculpture replaces the column and supports this structure. The grand entrance pediment is reminiscent of classic constructions, while the organic forms translate movement, lightness and volume, giving beauty to the rigidity of the concrete.
Studio Name: Aquiles Nícolas Kílaris Architect
Design Team: Aquiles Nícolas Kílaris and Iara Kílaris
Area: 401m²
Year: 2019
Location: Americana, Sao Paulo – Brazil
Photography Credits: Leandro Farchi
At every angle we look at, we are accommodated by an unusual design. The residence is surrounded by water – the highlight of the project – making a reference to beautiful Venice, Italy. In the entrance porch it is present in a grandiose water mirror.
On the internal façade – practically all in glass walls – there is a swimming pool, which rises from the side of the house following the construction. These “transparent walls” allow for total integration between the internal and external areas and the abundance of natural light inside the residence.
Kílaris conceived Casa Cristal, in a gated community in the interior of São Paulo, to live with his family. His desire has always been to live in a fully integrated house, without visual barriers, with a double height ceiling, surrounded by nature on all sides, receiving the energy of the sun and the good fluids of the energy of the waters.
The interior project is signed by the designer Iara Kílaris. The decor is contemporary and follows an architectural concept that emphasizes curves and organic shapes.
About the architect
Architect with contemporary traits, Aquiles Nícolas Kílaris is a precursor of the movement that values curved lines and organic forms, Kílaris is a renowned name in Brazilian architecture, with 31 years of experience. His own design style is also enchanting due to the strong integration of architecture with nature.
Throughout his career, he signed more than 5,000 projects carried out in Brazil and abroad. The professional also released the books “Curvas in Brazilian Architecture” and “Curvas in Brazilian Architecture volume II”, which are a collection of his projects and express a little of that style that makes architectural curves an expression of art.
In addition, the public can also check out his works in the itinerant exhibition “Curves in Brazilian Architecture”, which travels through shopping malls and cultural spaces, having been visited by approximately 4 million people throughout the country. His projects have also been published exclusively in the magazine Casas & Curvas na Arquitetura Brasileira since 2017.
The professional structure that Kílaris maintains has allowed him to participate in dozens of architecture shows. Highlight for three editions of Casa Cor São Paulo, in the years 2009, 2011 and 2012. In the 2009 edition, his work was pointed out as a reference. The “Futuristic boy’s room” environment, signed by Kílaris, illustrated the book cover of the Casa Kids exhibition. He was also present in six editions of Campinas Decor, in the 1st edition of Casa Cor Office.
Very active on social media, Kílaris has over 350,000 followers on Instagram and over 63,000 followers on Facebook, with 33,000 likes. On Youtube, the Kílaris Channel – which has 155,000 subscribers – presents the program Casas e Curvas na Arquitetura Brasileira, with all the details of the projects signed by the architect. The attraction, commanded by designer Iara Kílaris, has already been watched more than 21 million times.
Of Greek paternal origin, she has always praised and valued her roots. A trip to Greece, when he was still young, had a decisive influence on his future career. When faced with all the beauty and wealth of details of the country’s architecture, he couldn’t resist the enchantment of the historic buildings: columns, ruins and monuments.
It was this trip that helped define his style, different from the architecture practiced in Brazil at the time. Since his student days at PUC Campinas, he has defended a very personal thought: architecture accessible to all people. Irreverent, he believed in this attitude and started his work with freedom and daring. He is married to Iara, with whom he works in partnership, promoting the union between architecture and decoration.
He executes the architectural projects and Iara is responsible for the interior design. Together, they have already signed residential projects for many famous people, such as football players Oscar (former player of the Brazilian National Football Team) and Gil (a Corinthians player who has played for the Brazilian National Team); Jonas, former player of Benfica of Portugal; Diego Alves (Flamengo goalkeeper), singer César Menotti, comedian Carlos Alberto da Nóbrega, presenter Amaury Jr, among others.
The office also offers the Full Architecture service, thus ensuring complete harmony at the end of the work. In addition to preparing the architectural and decoration project, the teams led by Aquiles and Iara are responsible for the construction and administration of the work (at cost price), which includes hiring labor, purchasing materials, payment flow, finishes, purchase of furniture and organization of environments.
