studio mk27: toblerone house

‘toblerone house’ by studio mk27, sao paulo, brazil all images courtesy of studio mk27 image © nelson kon

brazilian practice studio mk27 has completed the ‘toblerone house’ in sao paulo, brazil. three expansive horizontal concrete planes sandwich the simple juxtoposition of two contrasting spaces. upstairs, the ‘house on pilotis’, a wood box deep within the roof footprint is wrapped in retractable screens of slender wooden slats which serve as a backdrop for the vegetation’s shadows during the day, while illuminating at night to give hints as to the activity inside. the lower level is comprised of two rows of 14 slender steel columns running longitudinally to maximize unobstructed exposure to the outside through the fully functional glass walls. public spaces are organized within this transparent soft-storey surrounded by the natural outdoor garden. the living room extends beyond the vitreous envelope to an exterior veranda and patio with a hanging fireplace and a circular void in the ceiling embracing two trees.

‘toblerone house’ has been shortlisted in the ‘villas’ category of the 2012 world architecture festival. see the complete list of this year’s nominated projects here.

view from garden image © nelson kon