terra e tuma constructs vila matilde house in brazil using concrete blocks

terra e tuma constructs vila matilde house in brazil using concrete blocks
all images © pedro kok

on the outskirts of são paulo, brazilian architecture practice terra e tuma has replaced a dilapidated suburban home with a low-cost building made from structural wall blocks. named after the neighborhood in which it sits, ‘vila matilde house’ was completed in just ten months.

‘in 2011, a young man reached out to us about the possibility of designing a house for his mother, a person of few belongings, who lived in a house with severe structural and sanitary problems,’ explains terra e tuma arquitetos.

the house maximizes the narrow constraints of the site

the client’s mother had lived in the area for many years, with her close family all nearby. rather than selling the house, and moving into a small apartment in a different district, the architects designed an economically viable dwelling that could be constructed within a short time frame. in early 2014, the house showed clear signs of deterioration and began to collapse. the first stage of the project was to carefully demolish the old house, a complicated process which lasted four months. simultaneously, foundations were added and retaining walls installed to support neighboring buildings.

primary living accommodation is found at ground level

the house, which maximizes the site’s narrow constraints, comprises three storeys. a living room, washroom, kitchen, and laundry are found at ground level, with a centrally positioned courtyard providing a buffer between the more public areas of the home, and the private bedroom at the rear of the property. the second floor accommodates guest facilities, while a vegetable garden grows on top of the living room’s concrete slab ceiling. this part of the design can later be covered to accommodate the future demands of the family.

the dwelling has been built using structural concrete blocks

a centrally positioned courtyard provides both light and ventilation

the atrium provides space to grow and nurture plants

the second level contains a guest bedroom

a view of the courtyard from the upper storey

the home’s entrance at ground level

the façade presented to the passing street

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project info:

architecture: terra e tuma arquitetos associados
landscape design: gabriella ornaghi arquitetura da paisagem
structural design: megalos engenharia
photography: pedro kok