Far from the frenetic pace of the metropolis, Bragança Paulista is a little town north of São Paulo nestled among gentle hills where farmland is interspersed by forests and small lakes.
A fundamental part of the local lifestyle, this landscape is reflected in the building typologies. Similarly, in the Casa MM by Marcio Kogan and Cristina Motta of mk27 architectural practice, open space is considered on a par with solid volumes. Set along two perpendicular axes, the building is made up of a single-level residence proper lying on an east-west plane and another “empty” volume: a wooden deck and swimming pool on the north-south axis.
The solid volume, an archetypical barn-like shape, stands in contrast to the gentle folds of the surrounding hills. It exudes protection, intimacy and warmth; the open extension stretching in the opposite direction is all about socialization and movement. These contrasting features meet at the intersection of the two axes to form a welcoming protected portico containing a kitchen and living area cooled by cross breezes. The juxtaposition of solid and void at this point is highlighted by a change in the cross-sectional area of the building and the use of different materials. The sloping ceiling of the living area is entirely warm timber while the portico’s flat ceiling is in concrete. The colours and materials of the floors are likewise inverted: polished concrete for the interiors, timber slats outdoors. The boardwalk leads up an imaginary gradient, the timber surface of the portico becoming an open patio surrounded by natural vegetation leading to the swimming pool.
The two functional areas of the solid volume are directly accessible from the open covered portico, the pivotal core of the whole construction. To the west lies the TV room and garage, to the east, a large living area and corridor leading to the night area and gatekeeper’s quarters.
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