Casa São Francisco de Xavier

Located in São Francisco de Xavier, the building designed by Lucio Fleury Arquitetura stands out for its wooden structure, large openings and integration with the surrounding landscape.

On an elevated site with a beautiful panoramic view, the clients’ main wish was to build a classic wooden cabin in the heart of the Serra da Mantiqueira. From this, a project was developed that was directly connected to the local climatic conditions.

The building was designed with two volumes, connected by a wooden pergola – which protects the circulation area for loading and unloading – and set on half a level, adapting perfectly to the steep slope.

The social and intimate areas are concentrated in the main volume, designed with a wooden structure and a façade with large openings, promoting a constant relationship with the surroundings. Over the pillars and walls, a single roof – without purlins and with wide eaves – hangs lightly, acting as an effective solution to the high volume of rainfall in the region.

The first floor consists of the kitchen, dining room and living room, the latter with double-height ceilings due to its mid-level location. With neutral, rustic materials, the interior spaces open up to the view, creating a feeling of spaciousness, unity and comfort. The interior design is perfectly aligned with the aesthetics desired for the rooms.

Also taking advantage of the unevenness, a mezzanine was created above the rooms for the TV room and home office.

To protect the first floor and upper façade from direct sunlight and rain, a pergola and eaves were designed to provide the necessary shade.

“Following the slope of the land, the swimming pool sits half a level below the living room balcony, inviting people even closer to the garden. Everything always overlooking the incredible view of the project’s protagonist: the Serra da Mantiqueira,” says Lúcio.

In order to guarantee thermal comfort and construction quality, the house was designed with a mixed structure: solid brick masonry covered with wooden planks in the bedroom area and Itaúba wood in the rest of the building, permeating the view.

Because it is located in a very cold region, the bedrooms were designed with smaller openings, in which bay windows were created – windows that project outwards from the façade, forming pleasant benches facing the side views. Like the social areas, the bedrooms are decorated in a minimalist style, with the landscape taking center stage.

As a result of the project’s circulation arrangements, the bathroom in the master suite was fitted with zenithal lighting, which is very thermally efficient.

The second volume, intended for the service area, also houses a sauna and an outdoor kitchen. Built in concrete and with a flat slab, it acts as a containment element for the land, preventing the soil from sliding or shifting with the action of rain.