bloco arquitetos elevates 'vila rica house' above the landscape of rural brazil

designed by bloco arquitetos, ‘vila rica house’ is located in a rural area, 40 kilometers (25 miles) from the center of brasília — brazil’s capital city. the residence takes the form of two perpendicular brick pavilions that are elevated above the ground to protect the landscape and to stop small animals, such as lizards, from entering the house. the first pavilion contains the home’s primary living spaces, while the second volume houses the bedrooms. a swimming pool is located between the two structures, with elevated walkways connecting them.

all images by haruo mikami

‘the idea was to maximize the direct contact with the local weather conditions such as wind, smell and sound during the daily use of the house,’ explains bloco arquitetos. all construction materials for the project were chosen based on two main factors: their ability to age well without the need for constant maintenance and their naturally raw appearance. in addition to the structure itself, concrete has been used for fixed furnishings such as the dining table, benches, the wood-fired oven, and the shelving.

although the local builders who constructed the project had extensive knowledge of brickwork, they did not have any previous experience in using exposed concrete. consequently, instead of trying to achieve smooth finishes, the architects decided to assume all the imperfections that were inherent to the building process. marks left by the timber shuttering were not sanded away and minor defects were not corrected. elsewhere, a brickwork lattice clads the site’s water tower. see more projects by bloco arquitetos on designboom here.

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project info:

architect: bloco arquitetos
authors: daniel mangabeira, henrique coutinho, and matheus seco
collaboration: victor machado, marina lira
built surface: 400 sqm
project: 2014
construction: 2015-2017
structural engineer: andré torres
installations: victor silvério
landscape design: mariana siqueira
contractor: gilmar guimarães
photography: haruo mikami