Designed by Sarmento Melo Architecture this country weekend retreat is located in the region of Macacos, in the district of São Sebastiao das Águas Claras, Nova Lima – Minas Gerais, Brazil. This 3,013 square foot (280 square meters) house was idealized by the owners to be a place to getaway for the weekend, a meeting place for leisure with their large family and many friends.

The house is inserted into an extremely steep terrain privileged but surrounded with stunning views to the Atlantic Forest and the sea to the mountains of Minas, architects Ana Cristina Faria and Maria Flávia Melo were guided by the demands of family, developing a project to be built in stages, and idealized a complex guest house, recreation area and main house (still not completed yet), exploiting and enhancing existing natural features. Thus, an implementation was adopted against the views of the mountains and forests, the longitudinal field, in order to minimize the movement of the earth, despite the steep terrain, buildings without plans and movement between buildings and recreational area that is basically in the same ground level without this, significant changes were made to the topography.

The architects proposed volumetric architectural and constructive simplicity: a large vertical plane (wall) and visually defines constructive orientation of the main building – longitudinal and east to west; orders the gabled roof in just simple cuts and without defined sectors – in front of the “wall” is the recreational sector and private spaces; behind and across the sectors of service and support are located. Therefore, the layout of the rooms is simple, logical and orderly. The same architectural elements defined and ordered the small guest house: the social area in front and behind the “wall” above average level (sitting on floor) are the suite and bathroom. Ceramic tiles in opposite directions cover these two blocks.

Looking to create a cozy and rustic atmosphere, at about the same time thinking of an appropriate and functional contemporary home in time, the architects proposed the use of hand-carved wood to encase entire structural systems and the bulk of buildings, doorways and windows, stairs and other minor details like shelves, counters , main furniture and cabinets. For this reason, during the work , which was closely followed by the architects, they hired a team of skilled workers in building with wood, from southern Bahia and staying for months at the store, making a neat job work. This wooden structure, for example, are not apparent screws or tools: the whole system is done through sockets, slots, and internal plates junction, following the constructivist tradition of old coffee and cocoa plantations within Brazil and buildings without interior architects.

Being a weekend house, the recreational area was intended as the main attraction of the constructed set. The large swimming pool in L, vinyl coated, is located in the center of the buildings and in front of the view: it converges playroom, gourmet space, sauna and guest house. Its largest is for swimming and jumping, but the minor axis of the pool, with a depth of 50 cm, integrates with sauna and spa with a grill, which was designed primarily for adult relaxation.

From the wood structural system, the sealing elements explicit intention of developing their views in the house, as well as attention on the thermal comfort: the sunny traditional masonry facades are brick clay Massif (more heat) and revoked painted, but all the extra length of the front facades of buildings, oriented to the south (hence no sun in Brazil), and facing the mountains, is sealed in glass drawing in its immediate surroundings and the distant landscape.

Reinforcing the proposed initial concepts, all other details and finishing and coating materials were designed with the aim of fostering and practicality, tradition and modernity. In itself, the wood continues to be used as the lining of all environments, including railings, and floor heating the room and every residence as intimate TV room and loft. In kitchen areas, large slabs of black granite were the option for strength and easy cleaning. In the bathrooms, floors adopted hydraulic tiles, rescuing the tradition of building the start of the twentieth century. The walls of wetlands mixed in glass inserts and gypsum, contemporary coatings harmonized constructively with materials of more rustic character.Large living and leisure areas, internal and external, are rustic but contemporary.

Complementing the architectural design project was the outside landscaping by landscapers Thiers Mattos and Flávia Rennó and outdoor lighting by Mônica Rohlfs. In landscaping, the exuberance of Brazilian flora species was valued. The vast gardens of bromeliads, palms, swords of San Jorge, among others. Apart from their beauty, species are suited to the local climate, are resistant to strong sun by day and cool nights in the mountainous region of Macacos. In lighting, lights were directed to large flat walls and vegetation, buildings and enhances the pool, but does not hide the pleasure of seeing the wonderful sky that can be viewed here.

Photos: Gustavo Xavier