Dom Vicoso is a 240sqm house built by Brasil Arquitetura, located in a serine and desolate area of the Serra da Mantiqueira in Minas Gerais, Brazil – on a centennial coffee farm. Because of the uneven topography of the site special footings were designed to act as levelers while the home itself was created with materials that worked with rather then against the surrounding scenery. These materials include a stone wall that extrapolates the security function, Masonry walls of solid brick with a simple lime-based coat of paint. In addition, it has a reinforced concrete slab with a green cover for thermal inertia and greater environmental comfort, a glass walkway and wood log supports.
When you step back and admire the surrounding hillsides it becomes apparent why the architects chose to create an exterior that complimented the rolling hills – they are nothing less than spectacular.
Dom Visco is designed as two separate structures of distinct size and function – centrally joined by a clear glass walkway. One volume contains the social elements such as the living room, dining room and kitchen while the second volume is the private zone where the bedrooms are located. This allows for excellent sound separation from the active areas to the sleeping areas.
While there may be one complete structure set aside for sleeping, there is also an outdoor hammock for those nights and days when the owners can’t bring themselves to go indoors.
The hammock is slung between two posts at the front of the home and is quite private from the surrounding landscape thanks to the stacked stone wall just on the other side of the grassy lawn.
The back of the home also has outdoor zones via a large deck that runs the length of the social zone. Here, built-in benches just outside the dining room offer a comfortable place to take in the views.
The squarish dining room is positioned between the living room and the kitchen and because of its similar width and length, the homeowners chose to outfit it with a contemporary round table capable of seating 6-8.
The social zones are flooded with natural sunlight in the morning thanks to the structures northeast orientation and the large expanses of glazings, which include a row of clerestory windows above the glazings that open to the deck.
The living room features a wood burning open-faced fireplace typical of farm buildings and this aesthetic is continued onto the deck with the use of wood logs as posts and an exposed concrete slab as shade protection above.
From the deck the inhabitants have a birds eye view of the rolling hills beyond. So serine, so peaceful.
As breathtaking as the views are, the building itself is quite stunning. I love how the limed brick exterior glows brightly against the rough natural rock wall below and that pop of red on the window trim is perfection.
Brasil Arquitetura
