Light And Movement

A poetic sequence defines the opening act of this home, which combines tropical architecture with beautiful shadow play

- Luo Jingmei

Studio MK27 founder Marcio Kogan was a filmmaker before shifting his focus to architecture. Therefore, it is hardly surprising that his works comprise carefully calibrated spaces that flow from one framed aspect to the next. The Brazilian architect’s masterful control of light also enables balanced levels of shadow and illumination to evoke deep and pleasant emotions.

Boxy forms, raw materials and intimate indoor-outdoor relationships characterise his oeuvre of predominantly residential projects. Brazilian Modernist architects such as Lina Bo Bardi, Paulo Mendes da Rocha and Vilanova Artigas influence this language, which also responds well to the South American country’s tropical climate.

BUILDING BLOCKS

Located in the Alto de Pinheiros residential neighbourhood of São Paulo, this house exhibits these traits well. Built-in 2014, the property is the home of a couple who work in the advertising industry and live here with their son. After recently acquiring the plot next door, they added an annex containing a bedroom, gym and atelier that follows the original house’s spirit. Besides that, their brief to the architects was simple: the family wanted a distinctive yet functional home.

Designed by Studio MK27 in collaboration with Galeria Arquitetos, the outcome reads as a concrete box stacked atop a teak timber-latticed block. Large openings in the top shell reflect its communal programmes, while the first storey’s veil masks private functions encompassing three bedrooms, utilities and the garage.