SPBR Architects

House in Jardim Europa

House in Jardim Europa
© Nelson Kon
House in Jardim Europa
© Nelson Kon

HOUSE IN JARDIM EUROPA

SPBR Arquitetos

ARCHITECTS
SPBR Arquitetos

AREA 
372 m²

PHOTOGRAPHS
Nelson Kon

PROJECT TEAM
Felipe Barradas | Lucas Roca | Martha Bucci | Tatiana Ozzetti | Victor Próspero | Beatriz Marques | Nilton Suenaga | Henrique Muniz | Azul Campos | Larissa Fiorin | Miguel Arturo Croce | Paula Dal Maso

LUMINOTECHNICS
LUX Projetos (Ricardo Heder)

LEAD ARCHITECT
Angelo Bucci

YEAR
2017

ENGINEERING 
Ibsen Puleo Uvo

LANDSCAPE 
RPAA (Raul Pereira)

INSTALATIONS
JPD Projetos de Instalações

CONTRACTOR
CPA Engenharia

CATEGORY
Houses

LOCATION
São Paulo, Brazil

Text description provided by architect.

Two contrasts as starting arguments for designing.

[1] Surrounded by high-rise buildings, the Jardim Europa in Sao Paulo, is perceived as a green island.

House in Jardim Europa
© Nelson Kon
House in Jardim Europa
© Nelson Kon

This scenario came out from ‘garden city’ principles that guided the urban design of this area in 1940-50, and it has been kept due to its strict construction regulations.

Its skyline was defined by 50-70 years old trees which emerge above low rise constructions.

House in Jardim Europa
© Nelson Kon
House in Jardim Europa
© Nelson Kon

[2] A 15m high tipuanatree is a landmark on 440 Belgica street where this house will be placed.

This small lot, 230m2, contrasts with those typically large properties on the neighborhood.

Its perimeter is defined by an irregular four sides polygon: no parallel or perpendicular lines in between.

House in Jardim Europa
© Nelson Kon
House in Jardim Europa
© Nelson Kon

At that neighborhood, houses have been made as boxes, in such a way that trees and constructions are clearly separated. Green is restricted to outside.

Once inside a house, one knows, its core is fully built, it tends to be dark. A concept that guided this proposal is the opposite.

The goal is somehow to merge inside and outside, or construction and green. The strategy was to unfold a box into a more fluid slab as flowing through trees.

House in Jardim Europa
© Nelson Kon
House in Jardim Europa
© Nelson Kon

It is quite simple as an assumption but challenging to be achieved.

This is due to all restriction of the lot size combined to construction regulations, which define basically:

House in Jardim Europa
© Nelson Kon
House in Jardim Europa
© Nelson Kon

[1] 50% as maximum occupancy; [2] 1.0, or 230 m2, as maximum FAR; [3] 5.0m as front setback; 1.5m as side setback in just one side (not set back required in the other side), 5.0 radius arc with its center placed on the edge of the obtuse angle on the back must be respected as a setback.

Naturally, the program for this house required fulfill the maximum construction rate, that means two floors perfectly overlapped.

House in Jardim Europa
© Nelson Kon
House in Jardim Europa
© Nelson Kon

Thus, this was our chosen challenge: how to unfold a box where there seemed to have no space to spread anything?

This small house results quite clear and simple. Its geometry was radiate from that irregular polygon.

It is itself just a fragment to test, as a laboratory essay, a concept and a strategy. It is one single frame for an image of walking through treetops.

House in Jardim Europa
© Nelson Kon


House in Jardim Europa
Ground Floor
House in Jardim Europa
Ground Floor Plan
House in Jardim Europa
Roof Plan
House in Jardim Europa
Garage Plan
House in Jardim Europa
Technical area plan
House in Jardim Europa
Section


House in Jardim Europa
Sketch
House in Jardim Europa
Sketch
House in Jardim Europa
Sketch

SPBR Architects
T +55 11 38151171
SPBR Architects
Av. Brig. Faria Lima, 1234 - Jardim Paulistano, São Paulo - SP, 01451-001, Brazil