'casa elemental' is a shifted stack of concrete blocks by estúdio zargos

estúdio zargos invites nature inside

Brazilian architecture firm Estúdio Zargos completes a dwelling in Belo Horizonte a city which can be found in the southeastern state of Minas Gerais. The architecture and its interior spaces of exposed concrete are shaped to harmonize with nature, occupying its sunlit rooms with plant-life and inviting the lush canopies in through large windows. Thus, the team hopes that the occupant will identify closely with the natural context and connect with the roots of the environment. As the team puts it, ‘A space composed of elements in their purest forms inspires a body to seek its essences.’

images © Jomar Bragança | @jomarbraganca

attention to materiality

The architects at Estúdio Zargos describe the spirit of the Casa Elemental: ‘We believe that in the relationship between being and place, it is the sensations that provide harmony. Contact with the nature of the elements transforms a being.’

‘Attentive to this, a place has its essence when we feel its materiality. Form, texture, permeability and comfort are characteristics that harmonically compose an architecture that will not only seek to build a roof over our heads, but to transcend the basic needs of life to connect us with what is Elemental.’ With this in mind, the interiors are curated with a thoughtful material palette of imperfect finishes and exposed concrete combined with soft woolen textiles.

inside the ‘casa elemental’

While Estúdio Zargos designs its Casa Elemental to read as a fortress from the street, its opens outward with full-height windows amongst the trees. Lush gardens and intimate patios allow for an integration with nature while maintaining privacy along its interiors. The team poetically details the atmosphere this brings: ‘Hearing appreciates the rustling of the leaves at the window, the whistling of the winds at night, the singing of birds, and the laughter of a child resonates around us.’

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project info:

project title: Casa Elemental

architecture: Estúdio Zargos | @estudio.zargos

location: Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil

design team: Zargos Rodrigues, Frederico Rodrigues, Rodrigo Pereira, Debora Camargos, Pedro Rodrigues, Ika Okamoto, Nathalia Melo and Laís Parreiras
landscaping: Rodrigo Pereira
construction: Laso Engineering
structure: Moa Engineering
building installations: Ep Projects and Engineering

completion: 2020

area: 360 square meters

production and prop styling: Studio Tertúlia
video: Paula Dante
drone photography: Jomar Bragança and Pedro Haruf
photography: © Jomar Bragança | @jomarbraganca