Stretching out on the land

Mature trees and uneven topography lay the ground rules for this sprawling homestead – stone, wood, concrete and water are the essence of the pulled-apart home while art and sculpture is celebrated at every turn

Deep overhangs and pool are the perfect antidote

Artworks are infused through the property. - Stretching

Poolside dining in one of the outer buildings.

The home has a strong sculptural presence. -

Timber ceilings are a feature of the residence.

Sculpture – Impossível, by Maria Martins.

Looking up through a multi-level section of the

Al fresco dining setting. - Stretching out on

Upstairs living room in the home. - Stretching

Living spaces defined by area rugs. - Stretching

Looking down the stairway to the lower floor.

The building's lines echo the topography. - Stretching

Designed by FGMF Arquitetos

From the architects:

Adult and sculptural trees fill the central portion of this 14,000m² plot of land in the Fazenda Boa Vista development, in the countryside of São Paulo.

The drop, which at first glance is light, assumes important proportions when we consider the entire extension of the territory.

These two elements – the trees and the unevenness – are the basis of the lot occupation strategy.

With an extensive programme, the house spreads out over the space, embracing the vegetation and creating opportunities for diverse paths and landscapes.

Straight lines run through the terrain and define a park at its core.

The slope adds volume to these lines, which become stone gables that reveal the topography and support pavilions that are attached to them.

These same stone gables, as they enter the main body of the house, provide continuity to the landscape design and help organise the programme together with other complementary, exposed concrete plans.

The wood, a third material, is added as a great covering plan.

The wood, concrete and stone are gently separated from each other, reinforcing gaps through which one can pass or see between them.

Eventually, besides the small pavilions distributed around the ground, next to the stone gables, a large pavilion perches above the main block, defining the upper floor with rooms.

It is orthogonal, guided by the geometry of the gables to the point of forming an expressive overhang in the courtyard between the floor blocks of the house.

The continuity between the internal and external spaces, characterised by the existence of several planes that organise the object and the landscape, reinforces the existence of patios of different sizes, where large sculptures demonstrate the owners' appreciation for Brazilian art – also seen inside the house.