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Urbem Arquitetura Designs a Spacious Family Home That Blends the Line Between Indoors and Outdoors

By Jessica Mejias

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FMG Monte Alegre is a private home located in Piracicaba, Brazil.

It was designed by Urbem Arquitetura in 2015.

FMG Monte Alegre by Urbem Arquitetura (1)

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FMG Monte Alegre by Urbem Arquitetura (11)

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FMG Monte Alegre by Urbem Arquitetura (13)

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FMG Monte Alegre by Urbem Arquitetura:

“The architectural project thought of a house that should provide plenty of space for a middle-aged couple that often hosts friends and family, spending most time with their kids and grandchildren.

The edification was set in as suburban district, in an enclosed allotment, build upon three different lots that, when gathered, sums up to 1,740m² (18,729ft²). Even though the lots where unified, the occupation by the house was thought in a way that one of the lots kept unoccupied, making it possible to be commercialized forward on.

The view that surrounds the edification shows an old sugarcane factory, surrounded by native woods and the gorgeous Piracicaba River, main character in the city. The sight was one of the pillars when the team initiated the conception of the architectonic solution.

The entire house’s terrain was lifted-up, providing privacy without the need of higher visual barriers and guarantying the overwhelming surrounding view to the spectator that stands in the social area on the main pavement.

The architects wanted to bring into the house all this gardens and abundant nature. In order to do this, the conception defined the edification in two main rectangular volumes, laying one on top of the other in the shape of a cross. This ways the building would provide the landscape views to every enclosed space.

In the upper volume, there are three suites and a large TV room, established at the crossing point between both volumes. The lower volume gave place to an office, lavatory, laundry room and a home wine bar.

At some points, the lower volume needed covering. The solution given in these cases used green covering, providing gardens to the upper spaces as well.

The upper volume projects itself beyond the lower one on both sides. In one side, held also by a concrete wall, the upper rectangle stands over a large living room while, underneath the other side, the garage and main access to the house take place.

To overcome the structural difficulties, a mixed structure was the right choice, always exploring the material in its high qualities.

Concrete walls, steel beams and tensors compose the structure that marks the façade with its own aesthetics, showing the bolts and welding on an industrial and contemporary look.

The concrete elements show the molds, as well as the wood grains. The molds layout distribution were matrix to the dimensioning of the construction components like marble flooring, joints in the aluminum panels on the façade and distribution of luminaires, woodwork paintings and all interior design.

Concerned about the afternoon sun incidence on the west face of FMG Monte Alegre, the Urbem architects proposed an unusual solution. Practical, beautiful and of easy assembling, a cold camera panel, coated with aluminum compound was applied as walls on the west side, as well as a thick concrete wall providing thermos-acoustic coverage to the insides.

The overall result is a house that brings the gardens and landscapes into its interior, highlighting its apparent structural solutions and large and integrated spaces with generous natural light.”

Photos by: Favaro Jr.

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About Jessica Mejias

Jessica is a resident of Madrid, where she often can be found stalking the halls of the Prado Museum, hoping to catch a glimpse of Bosch’s Garden of Earthly Delights. An Art History graduate, she enjoys admiring art and architecture, reading, and keeping young by playing video games. Learn more about HomeDSGN's Editorial Process.

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