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The 1960´s brightly by natural light apartment was found in original building plan when the architect decide to buy it. It used to be a 3 bedrooms, living room, bathroom, kitchen, laundry, service bathroom in 93 m2. Adapting to nowadays, it remained one of its main characteristics: a continuous circulation, which directly connects social, intimate and service areas - as it is normally found in houses.
The architectural design concept was based on the fluidity of spaces, without hierarchies; the clear connection between living room and the kitchen worked as a single social area.
The kitchen was designed to be open and user-friendly while keeping with the clean aesthetic seen throughout the apartment. Bookshelves were created along the corridor to not only allow for additional storage, but to bring lightness and character into the space as well. During the demolition, it was found concrete beams, columns and the solid bricks used in the construction of the building. The idea of letting them apparent came immediately and it guided the choice of other finishes as well. The beams and the concrete pillar were also exposed following the concept of showing how the building was constructed.
Once that the original wooden floor was compromised, it was necessary to replace it by another material that was able to connect all spaces. So, the crucial decision to apply a single material in all rooms was taken: the granilite.
In the past, granilite was widely used as a coating in service areas and staircases, kitchens and bathrooms, or in the hall of middle-class buildings, around the 40’s, and made history in Brazilian architecture. It is made of cement mortar with additions of water, powdered marble or other rocks composing a continuous and smooth surface similar to granite but infinitely cheaper. So, it remained only the existing hexagonal orange ceramic in the laundry to remember the original construction.
The intimate area was rebuilt to attend the architect needs. The two bathrooms have been redesigned to transform the second bedroom in a suite, without losing the existing bathroom. The third room - that connects the inner area to the service area - was transformed into a closet to the master bedroom. The first room remained as it was and has just arranged to be a home office.
Vitrô Arquitetura
Nathália Favaro
Sarah Mota Prado
