Cool Spaces: GARTEN house by Caio Persighini Arquitetura

WORDS Cheri Morris IMAGES Favaro Jr. via archdaily.com

GARTEN house by Caio Persighini Arquitetura in Araraquara, Brazil is a compact contemporary home that strikes an aesthetic balance between form and function, assuming at once energies of impressive grandeur and modest subtlety.

In remedy to the plot’s planimetric divergence and corner positioning, the architects employed dynamic social spaces: on the upper floor, a warm communal lounge doubles as a gym and cinema room. Surrounding this convivial lounge are the three bedrooms. The master bedroom is a suite while the others share a family hall with the lounge, fostering both interconnectedness and privacy.

On the lower level, the kitchen-cum-entertaining space opens onto an elongated outdoor area with a pool surrounded by greenery. The limited space is made expansive through the stacking of geometric concrete shapes and shelved greenery around and above the water, providing stolen spots from which to enjoy balmy sunshine otherwise lost. Lower still, the garage sinks beneath the pavement, tangential to the house. For someone strolling by, the house appears a mirage – more and more grandiose with every approaching step.

Love this space? Check out Cranberry Pavilion by Wright Architects – a small space that too affords the illusion of expansiveness.

h/t: archdaily.com