Villa BLM / ATRIA Arquitetos

Architects: ATRIA Arquitetos
Location: Brazil
Construction: Atria
Complemental Projects: Siturare Engenharia – Eng. Roberto Chendes
Photographs: Edgard César, Haruo Mikami

From the architect. Villa BLM was designed based on climate, existing on site vegetation, low cost maintenance and energy efficiency.

Our client aimed to create a comfortable villa during all seasons, simple and abstract. The composition consists in two main brick lined volumes, and one corten steel volume; all connected by a rustic concrete slab.

The main frontal volume consists in a library of approximately five thousand books from the owner´s private collection. This ephemeral volume is entirely covered with perforated corten steel panels and plays an important role in respect to the villa´s main access. The “L” shape pedestrian pathway surrounding the library volume forces visitors to slowly discover the villa´s private spaces, unveiling the architectural composition step by step.

During construction, none of the existing trees were cut. The villa is completely adapted to surround the vegetation. It sculpts the green scenario, integrating architecture and nature, guaranteeing excellent bioclimatic conditions. This symbiosis is dominated by a huge tree, 25 meters high, locate in a type of inner plaza, which is formed by the adjacent constructed volumes.

Finishing materials were specified to be durable. Brick, natural concrete in floors and ceilings, local marble, rustic painting, everything contributes to a future reality of low maintenance and relative auto-sustainability.

The house is populated by a great number of art pieces from Brazilian artists such as Marianne Perretti, Rubem Valentim, Antônio Poteiro, Dona Izabel, Geraldo Teles de Oliveira, Glenio Bianchetti, Galeno, among others. The decoration is composed by a few but precious handpicked objects and furniture.

The villa inspires purity, intimacy, simplicity and warmth, acting as a real character in its inhabitant’s li ves and exerting an amazing transformation power over its visitors.