Casa 1111 by Marilia Pellegrini Arquitetura

TRANSLATION Gina Dioniso PHOTOS Nathalie Artaxo

Brazilian architect Marilia Pelegrini transformed this old house in Alto de Pinheiros, São Paulo, into a lush modern abode.

Casa 1111, located in the Alto de Pinheiros district of São Paulo, belongs to a family who wanted to incorporate aspects of Brazil’s lush northern region into their urban environment. They asked Marilia Pellegrini Arquitetura to transform their old dark house into a spacious, functional living space teeming with greenery.

To bring her clients’ vision to life, Marilia decided to keep the structural skeleton of the old house but expanded the property by 140 square metres. She transformed Casa 1111 into an integrated living environment with abundant lighting and natural ventilation (obtained through the large slated walls and windows). As a result, the house feels like a modern sanctuary amidst the urban jungle.

The consistent use of materials like natural vegetation, the metal parasols of different depths, designed exclusively for this project, the ceramic elements weaving lights and shadows, masonry stones and the straight lines with wooden doors and panels help create a sense of warmth throughout the house.

The wood itself performs a double function: it provides warmth and cools the house in the hot and humid summer months. Being an old house with a limited ceiling height on the ground floor, Marilia also devised an original solution for air conditioning. The VRF system has been seamlessly integrated into the carpentry panels.

The carefully chosen furniture adds colour and character to the interior – from the Danish armchairs by Jorge Zalszupin and dining chairs by Vitra to the exclusive pieces designed by Marilia Pellegrini Arquitetura’s workshop (the dining tables and shelves were all designed in-house).

Opposite the open-plan kitchen lies the garden and pool, which leads to a home office space. When open, the sliding metal slats flood the office with light, space and lush views.

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