Local studio Bloco Arquitetos has completed a house in Brasília surrounded by brick screens and wide entry portals that open up the central courtyard to the exterior.

Known as Casa Tupin, the 420-square-metre (4,520-square-foot) residence is rectangular with a large central courtyard.

The 2025 house, set in a gated community 20 kilometres from Brasília, was designed to integrate the interior and exterior with the courtyard, which functions as both the leisure space and the connective core of the home.

"A house without windows, that is a window itself – rather than opening punctual views, the project seeks to transform the entire architectural body into a mediator between interior life and the surrounding landscape," Bloco Arquitetos told Dezeen.

"This approach results in a building that engages the environment through performance rather than transparency," the studio said.

Instead of large expanses of glazing, the vertical planes between the raised concrete slab and deep roof structure are coral-coloured brick – arranged as solid walls or breeze block-like screen – wrapping the house in texture and filtered light.

Selected for durability and composition consistency, the brick and concrete protect the interior from excessive heat. The restrained palette allows light, shadow and time to become part of the architecture, the studio explained.

"This porous facade acts simultaneously as solar protection and as a permanent ventilation filter, allowing air to flow in all directions throughout the house," the studio said.

"All spaces are organized in relation to this system, which integrates structure, climate control and spatial experience into a single architectural strategy."

The circulation, living spaces and private areas are arranged to maximise cross ventilation and the idea of the house as a continuous architectural experience that follows the structural logic of the design.

Supported on 12 pillars, three-quarters of the plan is elevated above the ground to pull natural ventilation beneath the house, preserve the existing topography and allow the native plants of the Brazilian savana – or Cerrado – to grow beneath the residence.

"This elevation also allows the native small animals from Cerrado – mostly lizards and burrowing owls – to move freely between the outside garden and the inner courtyard," the studio said, noting that the layout also allowed for the preservation of an existing tree at the centre of the courtyard.

Suspending the house and detaching it from the ground helped the designers connect the spatial concept with the environmental goals.

"This structural clarity allowed the building to appear both stable and light, reinforcing the idea of elevation as an architectural and environmental strategy," the studio said.

"Another key achievement was reversing the perception of transparency – although the house appears closed and opaque from the outside, the interior is open, fluid and visually expansive."

Other recent residential projects that use screens for ventilation include the renovation of a Puerto Rican home by Paul Raff and a woven timber home in Goa, India, by Field Atelier.

The photography is by Joana França.

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Brazilian studio Bloco Arquitetos has used prefabricated elements to create a house with two stacked, perpendicular volumes clad with screens in Brasília.

Known as the 350 House, the 500-square metre residence can be completely opened to light and views or closed for privacy because of the many screens along its side.

BLOCO Arquitetos – which is based in Brasília and run by architects Henrique Coutinho, Matheus Seco and Daniel Mangabeira – designed the house to be built in the shortest time possible, selecting a prefabricated module, structure and finishes that allowed for rapid construction. It was completed in 2022.

The team drew inspiration from the works of architects Harry Seidler and Craig Ellwood.

"The fast construction schedule that was expected and the scarcity of materials during the end of the pandemic ended up narrowing down our choice of structural materials," the team told Dezeen. "We chose the steel structure, as it was the type of structure that best adapted to our goals and limitations."

The house is composed of two rectangular bars set on a 350-centimetre grid, providing the design its name.

The ground floor – which runs southwest to northeast – houses the living, dining and kitchen areas, as well as service spaces, an office and two small bedrooms. A portion of the plan is cut out to form a covered porch for the adjacent pool deck on the south side.

The upper volume – cantilevering out to the northwest and southeast – holds the bedrooms. A lounge space serves as a landing for the staircase and separates the primary ensuite from the two secondary bedrooms.

Each room on the upper level features an eastern glazed wall to welcome the rising sun in the mornings.

The seven-metre overhangs serve as a carport on one side and a covered patio on the other, while the roof of the living room is an elevated terrace.

All exterior elements – including structure, awnings, walls and fixed joinery – are beige "visually neutralizing or homogenizing each surface." Cast-in-place concrete and steel decking create the floors, which masonry walls finished with plaster and beige paint form the exterior shell. The cantilevered ends and soffits are clad in aluminium composite sheets.

The team worked to combine the industrial aesthetic of the steel structure with a "warm and cozy feeling" on the interior. A wooden suspended ceiling provides a natural material relief from the beige, as do details like internal doors, joinery and furniture.

Other than the end and interior walls, the rest of the structure is glazed from the floor to the ceiling in near-seamless frames.

"Motorized, retractable and translucent awnings have been positioned over all the open spans," the team said. "They allow the entry of natural light to be controlled and the desired privacy to be adjusted."

When closed during the day, the house appears solid and uninhabited, but at night, the screens create a lantern effect.

Other recent projects by Bloco Arquitetos include a reconfigured 1960s apartment with translucent walls in Brasília and a brick house that steps down a hillside in São Jorge.

The photography is by Haruo Mikami.

Project credits:

Authors: Daniel Mangabeira, Henrique Coutinho, Matheus Seco
Coordination: Giovanni Cristofaro
Team: Giovanni Cristofaro and Victor Machado
Structural design: Vista Engenharia
Lighting: Dessine
Construction: Grid Engenharia
Joinery: Vírgula Zero
Furniture: Acervo Mobília
Artwork: Index Gallery
Window frames: Raveli Esquadrias

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Brazilian studio Bloco Arquitetos has created a nature retreat for a landscape architect and her family that features brick walls and glue-laminated timber roofs.

The Palicourea House is located in São Jorge, a rural village near the Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park. The area is part of the Cerrado, a tropical savanna ecoregion that covers a large swath of Brazil.

The project serves as a nature retreat for a family. One of the owners is a landscape architect and intends to host educational and artistic activities at the property.

Designing a retreat that embraced the natural context was a guiding concern for Bloco Arquitetos, which is based in Brasília.

"The whole project is an experiment about a way to inhabit the region, considering the specificities of the program and its context, as well as the possibilities of a sustainable and positive coexistence between humans and nature," the studio said.

Situated on a hill overlooking a river valley, the retreat consists of two buildings: a 198-square-metre house and a 57-square-metre studio. Positioned 120 metres apart, the buildings exhibit the same design vocabulary.

Both buildings step down the hillside and are lifted slightly above the ground – a strategy that minimised disturbance to the earth and preserved existing vegetation. It also helps prevent the entry of small, wild animals.

Stairs and ramps connect the buildings' different levels.

"In the studio, the stairs that connect the internal and external levels are transformed into an open-air grandstand," the firm noted.

Both buildings have an exposed concrete structural frame and solid brick walls. The structural grid allows for variations in internal dimensions.

Overhanging roofs follow the slope of the hill. Made of glue-laminated timber, the roofs are structurally independent from the lower portion of the buildings, which enabled a more flexible construction process.

"The aim was to combine local labour and traditional building materials with a large, lightweight structure made from reforestation wood, remotely prefabricated, and assembled on site," the team said.

Within the home, some rooms are open to the wooden roof above. Others have a concrete-slab ceiling, forming an "air mattress" between the slab and the roof.

"This empty area is a naturally ventilated space that promotes greater thermal comfort for the internal spaces right below them, and provides space for the distribution of most installations and equipment," the team said.

The house contains two bedrooms and a main suite, along with a living room, kitchen, dining area and wine cellar. The studio encompasses a classroom, a kitchen and storage area for seeds. Both buildings have terraces.

Interior finishes include concrete flooring, exposed brickwork and wooden cabinetry. Social areas are fitted with sliding doors and bug screens, which allow for natural ventilation and daylighting.

Photovoltaic panels and energy storage systems enable the buildings to operate off-grid as needed. Excess energy can be returned back to the power grid.

Rainwater is collected by roof gutters, and then filtered and stored in small tanks. Periodically, the water is transferred – via solar-powered pumps – to a 40,000-litre reservoir on the highest point of the property.

"Sewage from sanitary basins and kitchen sinks is processed and treated in underground eco-tubs before passing to soil infiltration tanks," the team added.

Other projects by Bloco Arquitetos include an all-white house with a series of courtyards, a rectilinear home with concrete ribs and brick walls, and an asymmetrical dwelling that consists of angular volumes on a steep site.

The photography is by Joana França.

Project credits:

Architect: Bloco Arquitetos
Leaders: Daniel Mangabeira, Henrique Coutinho and Matheus Seco
Project coordination: Giovanni Cristofaro
Team: Victor Machado, Marina Lira and Julia Huff
Presentation graphics: Luís Alcântara and Marcos Cambui
Coauthor: Mariana Siqueira, Jardins de Cerrado
Concrete structure and installations: André Torres
Glue-laminated wood structure: Ita Construtora
Water reuse and ecological depletion consultant: Fluxus
Construction management: Pórtico Empreendimentos, Gustavo Stival
Contractor: Elson Ferreira

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Brazilian studio Bloco Arquitetos has stripped back an apartment in Brasília built in the 1960s and added in translucent glass to reveal the existing concrete block facade.

308 S apartment is located in Brasília's model superquadra, which is one of the first completed apartment blocks of the urban design plan conceived by architect Lucio Costa and landscape architect Burle Marx.

Since it was first built in the 1960s the 154-square-metre, three-bedroom unit has undergone several remodels that changed the apartment's original finishes and materials.

For this renovation, Bloco Arquitetos concentrated on reconfiguring the layout to open the main living areas to the building's gridded facade that controls airflow.

"The main objective was to replace some of the walls and partitions by translucent elements and to directly connect the new dining room, the kitchen and the main bedroom's private bath to the building's naturally ventilated facade," the studio said.

This involved replacing existing walls with a series of translucent sliding glass doors and partitions. They separate the kitchen from the dining and living area and form a hallway leading the bedrooms. Two of the bedrooms were also reduced in size to make room for the open-plan dining space.

The sliding door is outlined with a black frame and topped with a set of rectangular windows that can rotate to increase airflow within the space.

During the renovation, the studio exposed parts of the original concrete construction and left several of the beams and walls bare. The worn structures are paired with bright white walls and hardwood flooring boards cut in a variety of sizes.

It also restored several sets of mechanical metal blinds, which are original to the apartment, and installed them along the back-facing windows.

A lattice-like wall with square cutouts forms the building's exterior and spans across the front of the unit where the kitchen and master bathroom are located. The studio has inserted a row of green plants between the facade and the interior wall structure.

In the all-white kitchen and bathroom the island and vanity counter are cut from Branco São Paulo, a matte-finished granite that the studio has also used as flooring.

Other details like the grey stone and white tiles covering the bathroom walls are intended to reference typical Brasília architecture from the 1960s and 70s.

Bathroom vanities are constructed with plywood, while the other wood shelving units and cabinets throughout the apartment are crafted with industrial MDF and finished with matte white paint.

A number of furniture pieces in the apartment were designed by Brazilian creatives.

Examples include the circular purple rug in the living room by architect Rodrigo Ohtake, the slender-framed armchairs created by Jorge Zalszupin in the 1960s and the dining chairs and stools from Brazilian furniture brand Cremme.

Bloco Arquitetos founded in 2008 is led by architects Daniel Mangabeira, Henrique Coutinho and Matheus Seco. The studio has completed several residential projects in Brasília including a house with a covered patio supported by 10 concrete structures and a white residence with angular volumes.

Photography is by Joana França.

Project credits:

Architects: Daniel Mangabeira, Henrique Coutinho and Matheus Seco
Collaborators: Giovanni Cristofaro, Bárbara Neumann and Fernando Longhi
Contractor: Grid Engenharia

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A latticed concrete-and-ceramic roof hangs from 10 concrete structures to shade the patio of this house in Brasília designed by local studio Bloco Arquitetos.

Called Portico House, the project is in a residential area on the outskirts of Brazil's capital city and measures 290 square metres.

The residence is fronted by a patio that is enclosed by concrete beams and columns that wrap over a roof, which partially covers the outdoor area.

The roof that hangs below is formed from slender concrete beams and ceramic brick that were attached in blocks on-site to the frames. Bloco Arquitetos chose this modular method to allow for precast joints in the slabs to align with the underside of the main concrete beam.

"The structure of the house consists of 10 identical concrete porticoes, 760 centimetres wide, and connected by 'volterran' slabs composed of latticed concrete beams and holed ceramic bricks," Bloco Arquitetos said. "This way, the slabs are 'hanging' on the beams, rather than resting on them."

The studio, which created a similar rib-like concrete structure to frame Casa Vila Rica in Brasília, said it designed this structure to experiment with low-cost materials in Brazil. The single-storey residence also features concrete, brick, clay tiles and large expanses of glass.

"In this project we tested an alternative form of articulation between two conventional elements of Brazilian construction: the cast concrete structure and the precast concrete and ceramic block," it said. "The premises adopted were the use of low-cost materials and the adoption of low maintenance solutions."

Portico House's prefabricated design also harnesses the construction skills that were available in the region. "Modulation provided a simple execution adapted to the available labour," the studio added.

The lattice roof stretches from the terrace to the interiors, which feature a similarly simple material paletted.

Inside, the home comprises an open-plan living room, dining area and kitchen, which has pale wood cabinets and dark grey counters.

A long concrete counter overlooks the sitting area and is supported by exposed concrete pillars. Clay tiles cover the floors, walls are white, and more concrete details create a uniform aesthetic that blends with the exteriors. Three bedrooms and three bathrooms complete the home.

Bloco Arquitetos designed a number of houses in Brasília, including Morrone House and House of Courtyards.

The studio was founded in the city in 2008, and is led by architects Daniel Mangabeira, Henrique Coutinho and Matheus Seco. It seeks to design buildings with limited materials and local labour, in order to reframe people's understanding of Brazilian architecture.

"The scarcity of skilled labour and the low development of the construction industry are part of the reality that influences our work in Brasilia," it said.

"Thus, we consider that the imperfection and inaccuracy inherent in the traditional method of construction used in the region are characteristics that need to be understood in the 'low-tech' Brazilian construction, to be better qualified, reframed and reinterpreted in our architecture."

Photography is by Haruo Mikami.

Project credits:

Collaborator: Victor Machado
Contractor: Grid Engenharia

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Design firms Bloco Arquitetos and Equipe Lamas used a mix of warm and cool materials in their refurbishment of a visitor centre in Brasília, designed by the late architect Oscar Niemeyer in the 1960s.

The project, called the Revitalisation of Oscar Niemeyer's Tea House, is located in the planned city of Brasília, which is the federal capital of Brazil. Established in 1960, Brasília features a number of modern-style buildings designed by the late architect Niemeyer.

The Tea House sits within Praça dos Três Poderes, or Three Powers Plaza, and serves as a tourist information centre. Partially sunken below ground, the 250-square-metre building has glazed walls and an overhanging, white roof.

The building, which opened in 1966, has undergone various changes over the decades. Local studios Bloco Arquitetos and Equipe Lamas were hired to refresh the interior in a way that was sympathetic to the original design.

"The goal was to restore Oscar Niemeyer's project – honouring the past and furnishing the space with contemporary pieces that connect with the capital's aesthetic and modernist spirit," the team said.

When it opened in the 1970s, the building was intended to serve as a place for meetings and rest. It was abandoned at some point due to political complications and the lack of a tenant, according to the architects.

In 1994, it reopened as the Tourist Assistance Center, but it was closed six years later due to concerns over a potential roof collapse. After structural modifications, the centre reopened in 2010.

In recent years, the Secretariat of Tourism and Unesco hired Bloco Arquitetos to revitalise the space. Architect Samuel Lamas, who co-leads Equipe Lamas, was chosen to design the furnishings.

The team freshened up the white marble floors and walls. Window frames were cleaned, and ceilings and pillars were repainted using colours from the original design.

The furnishings, all by Lamas, are meant to complement the architecture. Black iron is paired with warm materials such as wood and leather. Hues of peach, yellow and tan lend a softness to the atmosphere.

The reception area received a Deia couch, a Sandra armchair, a Jamile coffee table and a Janice side table. In a central seating area, the team placed Sonia sofas and armchairs, a Ruy coffee table and bench, and a Caroline side table.

A space reserved for showing maps and books was fitted with a Caroline table, João chairs and a Carlos shelf.

Overall, the furnishings are meant to look light and streamlined, while being sturdy enough to handle daily visitors.

"The use of geometry and pure forms are explored in the products," the team said. "With simplicity and architectural reasoning, the furniture has delicate metallic profiles that reach the maximum lightness without compromising the functionality."

Other projects in the Brasília area include a dwelling by Samuel Lamas that features ample glazing and numerous gardens, and a house by Bloco Arquitectos that consists of rectilinear, all-white volumes that push outward and pull inward.

Photography is by Haruo Mikami.

Project credits:

Architects: Bloco Arquitetos and Equipe Lama
Participants: Quadra Interior, Secretaria de Turismo do DF, Unesco Brasil

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Brazilian studio Bloco Arquitetos has designed a spacious family home comprising irregularly stacked boxes, which form a series of courtyards and terraces.

Totalling 950 square metres, the House of Courtyards is located in a residential part of Brasília, the federal capital of Brazil. For a flat site lacking vegetation, the team conceived a cluster of stark, rectilinear volumes that push outward and pull inward. Portions of the home cantilever over the site and form sheltered areas.

"The project was designed using an orthogonal grid of 3.65 by 3.65 metres, placed diagonally in relation to the lot," said local firm Bloco Arquitetos in a project description.

Exterior walls are made of white-painted ceramic brick and vast expanses of glass. Recessed windows are shaded by short eaves that help reduce solar heat gain.

The home's primary openings are situated on the north – a vantage point that allows views of Brasília's city centre, located about 10 kilometres away. This elevation also overlooks a verdant yard with a swimming pool.

House of Courtyards is surrounded by paved surfaces, stretches of grass and young trees. Walkways are lined with lush grasses and flowering shrubs – all of which are native to the region.

"The landscape design makes use of the 'cerrado' vegetation (Brazilian savannah) that is typical in this part of the country," the team said.

An extensive programme was distributed across two levels. Public areas are located on the ground level, along with the clients' home offices, which face a patio. The main bedrooms were placed on the upper floor.

"All parts of the programme are clearly separated, although the uniform volumetric composition sets no hierarchy between the functions," the team said. "The intention was to disperse the built volume following only the criteria of desired views, privacy and solar orientation for each room."

Many rooms are afforded a direct connection to one of the home's six courtyards. On the upper floor, bedrooms open onto grassy terraces. At the very top of the home, a "sightseeing terrace" is accessed via an open staircase clad in white stone.

Interior finishes include white walls, and wood flooring and cabinetry. All of the furniture was brought from the family's previous residence.

Bloco Arquitetos is known for creating stark homes composed of white geometric forms. Other projects by the studio include the Morrone House and the Cora House, both also located in Brasília.

Photography is by Haruo Mikami.

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Brazilian firm Bloco Arquitetos has completed a white house in the country's capital, comprising geometric blocks that create an interplay of shadow and light.

Morrone House is a two-storey family home in a residential neighbourhood close to the Plano Piloto administrative area of Brasília.

Based in the city, Bloco Arquitetos Associados designed the house with an outdoor entry hall, and multiple skylights and indented spaces. Its top portion is offset from the ground volume, creating a tiered design.

Flanked by houses of similar height, Morrone House's minimal design and stark white exterior contrast with its neighbours to create a strong aesthetic.

"Due to the massive buildings of the neighbours, we decided to prioritise the inner visuals, alternating constructed spaces and empty spaces, increasing the amount of natural light into the house," said Bloco Arquitetos.

The studio sought to make the most of the lot and constructed the house across the full buildable area. "From this point we subtracted parts of the volume, creating five main voids," the team said.

The first "void" is in front of the house on the ground floor and incorporates an existing pequi tree – a species protected by law – as part of an internal garden.

This courtyard is framed by the outdoor entryway, a guest room and a two-car garage.

At the centre of the home, the second "void" works as a lightwell for a living room, where sliding glass doors lead to a patio, outdoor kitchen and swimming pool.

Completing the ground floor is a dining area, a kitchen and bathroom. A white marble staircase provides access to three bedrooms and three bathrooms on the upper level.

The third is a roofless extension of one of the bathrooms, which features an outdoor bathtub, while the fourth houses the main entrance of the house.

The fifth and final "void" partially covers the outdoor pool and creates a shaded area along the patio.

Outdoor steps lead to a rooftop terrace, while the rear of the property has a grassy lawn surrounded by bushes to soften its construction.

Much of the home's interior decor is minimal, in line with its exterior. It features warm wood floors and white walls, while terracotta tiles are used for outdoor areas.

Bloco Arquitetos has completed another house in Brasília with similar "voids," known as Cora House, while the firm's Casa Vila Rica on the outskirts of the city features concrete ribs that extend across brick walls.

Photography is by Haruo Mikami.

Project credits:

Project team: Daniel Mangabeira, Henrique Coutinho, Matheus Seco
Collaborators: Victor Machado, Marina Lira, Guilherme Mahana, Daniel Dubugras

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A stark white palette is used both outside and in this Brazilian home, designed by local firm Bloco Arquitetos as a series of angular volumes on a steep site.

Cora House is situated on a sloping property in Brasília, and the incline of the land played a pivotal role in the massing of the building.

Its two levels are both accessible from the street. A narrow path leads down to the living area, while a driveway ramps up to a covered carport that has direct access to the upstairs bedrooms.

"The public space created between the recessed volumes function as the interface between the house and the street," said Bloco Arquitetos.

The layout allows the house to occupy the maximum area allowed for construction on the site, while maintaining the gradient of the land.

"The aim was to create an architectural promenade that could exacerbate the perception of certain aspects of the natural ground: the topography, the natural light and specific views to the outside," said the studio.

Although completely white all over, the building's front and rear facades look vastly different.

From the road, it appears as a series of blocks stacked irregularly upon one another, with glimpses of the butterfly roof that tops the lower portion. No windows are visible on this side of the house, affording its occupants some privacy.

At the back, the elevation is much more simple, and includes large sections of floor-to-ceiling glazing, which slides open to the garden and balconies.

"The abstract character of the front facade is opposed to the back facade," Bloco Arquitetos said. "The different inclines of the roof were manipulated to adapt it to the resulting topography, in order to 'compress' the internal ceiling heights towards the centre... and 'expanding' it towards the backyard."

The main living area is positioned at the back of the house, in a double-height space facing a covered patio and the garden beyond.

Towards the front on the same level is a galley-style kitchen, tucked behind which are a service room, a small bedroom and a bathroom – presumably for a live-in maid.

A staircase following the slope of the hill connects to the upper level, which contains three bedrooms. Two of them face out to the back garden, and have access to balconies overlooking the trees, while the third branches towards the street.

Skylights help to illuminate the bedrooms and adjoining bathrooms, as well as improve ventilation.

Bloco Arquitetos has recently designed two other houses in Brasília, including a brick-and-concrete residence exposed to the outdoors and a narrow house with a slanted roof for a compact plot.

Photography is by Joana França.

Project credits:

Project team: Daniel Mangabeira, Henrique Coutinho, Matheus Seco
Collaborators: Marina Lira, Tatiana Lopes, Victor Machado

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A sloped roof tops this white house in Brazil's capital, which architecture studio Bloco Arquitetos built within the initial masterplan for the city.

The local firm designed 711H house for a couple with a child and two dogs.

Built on the foundations of a single-storey home that had been demolished, it is located in a part of the Plano Piloto masterplan that architect and planner Lucio Costa designed for Brasília during the 1950s.

The residence's surrounding area was originally intended to be used for farms and food production, but because of the city's housing needs, it was transformed into a series of tightly packed row houses.

Many of the homes exceed the allowed height limit and face a service alley, which makes the green public spaces in the front derelict and dangerous, according to Bloco Arquitetos. The studio's scheme for the 711H house aims to reverse this trend.

The team uncovered and restored the front yard back into a garden. Two pairs of white metallic screens front the space to offer the residents privacy and provide access to the public green space in front of the house.

"It acknowledges the present reality, and its official and unofficial rules of occupation, and aims to recover the activation of the green strip that is adjacent to the house," said Bloco Arquitetos.

With a white exterior that also differentiates it from its surroundings, the house is topped by a mono-pitched roof that connects the different roof heights of its two immediate neighbours.

"The form of the roof is generated by an imaginary line connecting the highest point that is officially allowed for the constructions in the neighbourhood to the slightly sloped roof of the construction on the other side," said the firm.

A second set of perforated metal doors are placed on the inner side of the courtyard, as part of the front wall of the house. One folds open to lead into the long and narrow, kitchen, living and dining room. The other provides access to a pair of bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms that run down the southern side.

As most of the old structure and foundations were condemned, the studio rebuilt the ground floor using laminated steel beams and columns with exposed concrete blocks forming the partition walls. All are painted white to match the exterior.

Concrete ceilings and floors are left exposed and complemented by furnishings with rough finishes, like the dining table that extends from the kitchen counter and a bench in the living area. Plants in terracotta pots are dotted throughout to offset these more neutral tones.

A black staircase leads up to the middle of the new first floor, which the studio constructed from concrete blocks.

Because of the steep slope of the roof, all the functions are placed along the southern side where the pitch is at its highest. A large terrace, where the residents' dogs can bathe in the sun, occupies the north-west end.

Glazed doors from the terrace lead into the master bedroom at the front. The space is adjoined by a long closet featuring windows to a small void in the residence, and an en-suite bathroom.

A study and a small home office are set to back on this floor.

Bloco Arquitetos was founded by architects Daniel Mangabeira, Henrique Coutinho and Matheus Seco. The firm recently completed another home nearby, made of longitudinal concrete ribs and red brick infill.

Along with Costa's masterplan, Brasília is well-known for its modernist architecture by Oscar Niemeyer. His building that serves as the presidential palace is feared haunted by the country's current leader.

Photography is by Joana França.

Project credits:

Architecture firm: Bloco Arquitetos
Project team: Daniel Mangabeira, Henrique Coutinho and Matheus Seco
Collaborators: Fernando Longhi, Giovanni Cristofaro and Elisa Albuquerque

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Concrete ribs extend across the brick walls of this house on the outskirts of Brasília, Brazil, which Bloco Arquitetos has designed as two pavilion-like structures linked by an outdoor path.

Casa Vila Rica is located 40 kilometres away from the centre of the Brazilian capital city on a gentle slope overlooking a valley filled with native vegetation.

Bloco Arquitetos designed the house in response to the local climate, which includes a dry season and a period of rainfall that typically lasts for four to five months.

The residence is raised above the ground on a concrete platform to prevent large insects and wild animals like snakes from entering the house.

The house is divided into two perpendicular wings, which are elevated to different heights to accommodate the changing level of the site.

One of the wings is occupied by the lounge, kitchen and dining room, while the other hosts the bedrooms.

Steps and walkways that link the two are placed on the exterior so the residents can make the most of the warm climate, but shelter is provided by the eaves of the flat concrete roofs.

Solid brick walls are slotted between the concrete structure, echoing the material palette the architects used for a house extension for a family in Brasília.

The architects left the materials exposed to reflect the building techniques of the local area, and to save time on extra finishes.

"We have decided to use the expression of the materials in its raw state, accepting the imperfections of the local manual labour and its limitations," the architects explained.

"The idea was to minimise the extensive labour that is normally used for the finishings such as plaster or paint and to have materials that would age well without the need for constant maintenance."

The materials also form other features of the residence, including a concrete bookshelf in the lounge and the brick hearth and log store of the outdoor fire place.

Large expanses of glazing make up walls in the living areas to offer views to the gravelled courtyard and the swimming pool outside.

Clerestory windows are slotted into the walls of more private spaces like bedrooms, while bathrooms feature open-air voids that bring natural light and ventilation.

Inside, the architects selected a simple material palette, including exposed concrete flooring. Other details include the dining table, which is made of concrete, and the stone kitchen counter and wooden kitchen cabinets.

Bloco Arquitetos designed another house in the city inspired by the principles of modernist architect Adolf Loos.

Photography is by Haruo Mikami.

Project credits:

Project: Bloco Arquitetos
Authors: Daniel Mangabeira, Henrique Coutinho, Matheus Seco
Collaboration: Victor Machado
Structural engineer: André Torres
Installations: Vitor Silvério

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Bloco Arquitetos has created an extra storey for a family home in Brasília by adding a stilted concrete structure that incorporates panels of perforated brickwork.

The local practice designed Casa Grid for a client who had bought a large lot containing an existing property in the Lago Sul neighbourhood of the Brazilian capital.

The architects were tasked with adapting and expanding the existing single-storey house to suit the lifestyle of its new occupants.

The previous owner had initially planned a much larger two-storey building and had laid extensive foundations, but had run out of money and so constructed a small bungalow with a pitched roof.

The clients purchased the property because of its central location in a quiet residential area and the generous plot, which offered an opportunity to expand while reusing some of the existing building to reduce costs.

"The intention here was to build a bigger house in the same lot with a budget that was 35 per cent lower than what was expected for a brand new home," said Bloco Arquitetos.

"The idea to lower the final cost of the construction was to take advantage of the existing structure and reuse part of the existing walls."

Both existing and new foundations were used to support a concrete grid that extends out from the original building.

"The new grid works as a graft, connecting old walls and new ones and supporting the additional programme of the extension," explained the architects.

Featuring columns of two different widths, the concrete framework accommodates surfaces of varying opacity, including solid walls, perforated brick screens and large windows.

The brick panels feature patterns that vary in their density depending on the amount of light and privacy required within the interior.

A pair of steel-framed structures added at the front and rear of the property accommodate a garage, an outdoor kitchen and a sauna.

A paved pathway leads from the street towards the main entrance, which is set into a glazed portion of one of the facades.

The path is bordered with turf on one side and passes a tree growing in a yard that is partly shaded by an elevated section of the brick screen.

Immediately inside the entrance, a lounge area containing a large red sofa landscape is lined on three sides with glazed surfaces.

Sliding doors incorporated into the glazing enable this space to be opened up to the adjoining outdoor terrace.

Daylight filters into the lounge space through holes in the brickwork, casting a dappled pattern of light and shadow on the floors, walls and furniture.

Next to the living room is a dining area containing a plinth-like set of concrete steps set against an internal wall.

The rest of the staircase leading to the bedrooms on the first floor are contained in a white volume suspended from the ceiling.

Floor-to-ceiling sheer curtains provide an additional layer of privacy to the living spaces.

Along with furnishings featuring wood and leather surfaces, they introduce a softer detail to the otherwise elemental palette of concrete and white walls.

Bloco Arquitetos previously designed another house in the city, which is inspired by the principles of Modernist architect Adolf Loos.

Photography is by Haruo Mikami.

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The cubic construction of this house in Brasília by local studio Bloco Arquitetos reveals the layout of spaces inside and was influenced by a 1930s villa designed by Modernist architect Adolf Loos (+ slideshow).

The Paineira House was designed by Bloco Arquitetos for a plot in the Brazilian capital dominated by a 15-metre-tall paineira tree.

The house comprises a series of geometric volumes, with different dimensions that reflect the use of the various rooms within.

A corridor extends through the centre of the building to connect two separate blocks, one containing the main living areas and one housing the bedrooms.

The function-led configuration was based on the Villa Müller house designed by early modernist architect Adolf Loos in Prague, where a series of cubic forms create interconnected spaces that are positioned and proportioned to indicate their function and importance.

"Both blocks have similar dimensions on plan, however a sequence of different ceiling heights insinuate the intended uses of each space," the architects explained. "The external form is a direct result of this operation. The articulation of different ceiling heights that suggest the use and the importance of each room refer to Müller House."

The paineira tree's position influenced the plan and orientation of the property, which follows an east-west axis parallel to the adjacent street.

The house's entrance is located between the two blocks and frames a view straight through to a garden at the rear. The tree's location at one end of the building means it is glimpsed through some of the windows.

"Upon entering the residence, the tree is not immediately reviewed," the architects explained in a project description.

"Various openings in walls and ceiling expose the paineira in small bits, which helps mediate the relationship between inside and out as a whole."

The most open area at the western end of the building contains the large living room, including a dining area that opens onto the garden and a lounge topped with a rectangular skylight.

A staircase at the end of the central axis connects this main communal space with a mezzanine room situated in the tallest volume.

A metal grille forms a balustrade along one edge of the mezzanine and is used to fill in a gap above the floor that overlooks the living room.

At the opposite end of the building, the bedrooms are arranged around a square space that is rotated 45 degrees to the main axis.

This creates a distinctively angled volume when viewed from the garden, which intersects with the rooms on either side.

A window at the base of the hallway frames a view of the grass between the external walls, while a skylight set into the apex of the roof illuminates the circulation area from above.

Textured paint with a muted tone is applied to all of the external surfaces, lending the different volumes a homogeneity that emphasises the effects of light and shadow on their surfaces.

A lighter variation of the same colour was used throughout the interior, creating a similar effect and focusing attention on the views of the garden through the various openings.

The work of Adolf Loos is often cited as a source of inspiration by contemporary architects and designers.

Other examples include a brick extension in London with a multi-hued interior based on Loos' experiments with colour and a house in Cologne where the upper floor features rooms with varying ceiling heights.

Photography is by Haruo Mikami.

Project credits:

Authors: Daniel Mangabeira, Henrique Coutinho and Matheus Seco
Coauthors: Bruno Pessoa (interiors), Rodrigo Scheel (architecture)
Collaboration: Victor Machado, Tatiana Lopes and Guilherme Mahana

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