Rio de Janeiro Residence, Brazil Property, Contemporary Brazilian House, Architecture

Casa Rio Bonito, Rio de Janeiro

Brazilian Residential Development design by Carla Juaçaba Architect

page updated 30 Jul 2016 ; 2 Apr 2013

House in Rio Bonito

Design: Carla Juaçaba

Location: Rio Bonito, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

photograph : Nelson Kon

Rio de Janeiro Residence

Casa Rio Bonito is a weekend home located in Rio Bonito de cima, a mountain region east of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The proximity of the river was a significant factor in the siting of the project.

Two stone bearing walls of 1.10 meters in thickness support four steel beams which carry the roof and floor joists.

photograph : Nelson Kon

Two voids puncture the roof at either end of the structure, washing the interior surface of the stone bearing walls with light and creating a stark contrast between the weight of the structure and lightness of the roof and floor which float above the rough ground.

photograph : Nelson Kon

In contrast to the floor to ceiling glazing offering views to the river at the front façade, openings at the back façade give vertical continuity to the large openings above. As the house is suspended from the ground, it is protected from moisture and weather while maintaining a visual connection to the river.

photographs : Nelson Kon

The structural stone walls are circulation routes to a roof top garden at the exterior and contain a fireplace and wood burning stove at the interior, further extrapolating the notion of solid versus void.

Water and fire, weight and lightness, archaic and modern coexist in the cosmology of this habitat.

photographs : Nelson Kon