Projects Wanted - Bacopari House, by UNA Arquitetos

The "Projects Wanted" initiative resumes after the Summer break with a project that was sent to us from the city of São Paulo, Brazil. The Brazilian Architecture office UNA Arquitetos chose their project Bacopari House to be published in our blog. The project has a construction area of 504 sqm and it was developed and built between the years of 2010 and 2012. The photos presented are a work from the Architecture photographer Leonardo Finotti.

We are open to receive projects from all around the world, regardless of their dimension or typology. Please send us high quality photos (indicating their authors), drawings and descriptive texts in English to our Marketing e-mail - david.cardoso@dimscale.com. It will be our pleasure to help spreading new Architecture concepts and ideas.

The house is located in a neighborhood with abundant afforestation. The flat ground, surrounded by houses and no distant views, is longer than the standard. The project intends to build a large garden that permeates the house and builds the landscape, in continuity with the existing vegetation. The tall trees (pau ferro, with 8m height) were brought in the beginning of the works. Parallels concrete walls, with 10meters away, define the supports of the suspended plans. 

At ground level, the idea was to allow transparency from the street to the end of plot. The access is made through a covered square were cars can be parked. The bound is marked by gardens with a reflecting pool, the first patio, which precedes the double-height living room, and the dining room, extending to the terrace. The second courtyard has gardens and swimming pool, for which the playroom is open too. 

After the walls concreting, construction is an assembly:  the upper labs supported by metallic beams between gables. Facilities are located in accessible shafts in each concrete plan. Stairs connect wine cellar, in the underground, to the upper floor, at the treetops level. On this floor there is a library in a horizontal gallery, which opens onto the patio and the living room. All bedrooms have the best insolation, northeast. 

The succession of open and closed spaces, associated with glass facades, water tanks and dark panels generate series of reflections and transparencies diluting the boundaries between inside and outside.

- UNA Arquitetos 

UNA's profile (taken from the office's website):

 
Una Architects, founded in 1996, is an association of architects graduated from the Faculdade de Arquitetura e Urbanismo da Universidade de São Paulo (School of Architecture and Urbanism of the São Paulo University) - USP.

Since its formation it has developed projects in different scales and programs like equipments for public transportation as well as urban projects such as cultural centers, schools, commercial buildings and residences. Una has chosen to work in association with engineering firms and consultants, thus assuring a space for a comprehensive and multidisciplinary discussion with focus in architecture and urbanism.

The office has received several awards for projects and for finished construction works. Among them, several were awarded by the Institute of Architects of Brazil, having received in 2008 the top prize of this institution, the award Carlos Milan, for the project of the New Railroad Station of Piqueri.

The studio was awarded in the Fifth International Architecture Biennial of São Paulo, for the project of the Centro Universitário Maria Antonia –USP (Universitary Center Maria Antonia-USP) and Instituto de Arte Contemporânea (Institute of Contemporary Art). Another award was received at the Seventh Bienal in recognition for a project of reurbanization of Mooca and Ipiranga, two old and decaying districts in the city of São Paulo.
In 2003 Una was part of the team formed by the architect Paulo Mendes da Rocha in the project that the city of São Paulo was bidding for being host of the 2012 Olympic Games.

Una has participated in several national and international events like in two editions of the Venice Architecture Biennial; in 2004, as part of the Brazil Pavillion, representing the country by invitation of national board of curators and in 2006, as part of the Pavillion Arsenalle, in this case selected by international board of curators.

In 2010 Una was invited to exhibit at the Architecture Triennale of Lisbon, a housing project called Caranguejo Tabaiares, in the city of Recife which was specially developed for that Triennial.

Una was one of the six selected offices to be part of the exhibition “Coletivo – Arquitetura Paulista Contemporênea (Collective – Contemporary Architecture of São Paulo). The exhibit was first shown in São Paulo (Centro Universitario Maria Antonia), and later in Rio de Janeiro, Lisbon, Zurich, St. Louis and Braumschweig. As part of the exhibit a book was published by Cosac and Naify.

The partners of Una Architects are: Cristiane Muniz, Fábio Valentim, Fernanda Barbara and Fernando Viégas. Between 1996 and 1999 the office had also as partners Ana Paula Pontes and Catherine Otondo.

PROJECTS WANTED is a DIMSCALE's initiative to communicate new Architecture from all around the world.

Send us your projects to david.cardoso@dimscale.com.