- Project: SW House
- Architect: Jacobsen Arquitetura
- Location: Brazil, Porto Feliz
- Year: 2013
- Area: 1250 m2
- Photography: Leonardo Finotti
A Contemporary Refuge in Nature
Set in the serene countryside of Porto Feliz, southwest of São Paulo, SW House by Jacobsen Arquitetura redefines the concept of a weekend retreat. Conceived for a family seeking an escape from the city, the residence combines modern Brazilian minimalism with deep sensitivity to landscape, topography, and climate.
Spanning 1,250 square meters, the house balances monumentality and lightness through the interplay of horizontal planes, raw materials, and open spaces. It exemplifies Jacobsen Arquitetura’s mastery of architecture in harmony with nature—a hallmark that characterizes many of the studio’s acclaimed projects across Brazil.
Site and Design Concept
The site’s natural slope overlooking a tranquil lake inspired the project’s core strategy: a 3-meter-high longitudinal stone wall that divides the terrain into two distinct levels.
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The upper level, adjacent to the road, contains the main entrance, service areas, and private bedrooms.
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The lower level, gently descending toward the lake, houses the social and leisure areas.
From the street, SW House appears as a single-story volume discreetly integrated into the landscape. As it extends along the slope, however, the structure opens up to reveal a piloti space that defines the home’s architectural identity—airy verandas and glass-enclosed living areas suspended above the garden and water.
This composition not only minimizes the visual impact of the built mass but also fosters a continuous dialogue between the house and its environment.
Architectural Layout
The residence is organized into two principal layers of use.
The upper floor accommodates the family’s and guest bedrooms, each enjoying panoramic views of the lake through floor-to-ceiling windows shaded by deep eaves and Corten steel screens. These perforated panels ensure privacy while filtering sunlight, creating an ever-changing pattern of light and shadow.
The lower level unfolds as an open social domain defined by sliding glass panels that erase the boundary between interior and exterior. Living, dining, and lounge areas extend seamlessly toward the garden, swimming pool, and lake.
Within the stone base, additional leisure functions are subtly embedded: a children’s playroom, spa, sauna, and home cinema—all thermally protected by the surrounding earth and visually hidden to maintain the house’s horizontal purity.
Material Expression
Material selection in SW House is guided by authenticity and tactility.
Natural stone anchors the composition, wood introduces warmth, and expansive glass provides transparency and rhythm. The laminated wooden pergolas that link the volumes of the upper level create shaded walkways while connecting the garage, entrance hall, and an internal courtyard.
Together, these materials define a palette of natural elegance—modern yet timeless, minimalist yet richly layered through texture and light.
Light, Shadow, and Transparency
Sunlight plays a vital role in shaping the spatial experience. Deep overhangs, pergolas, and vertical screens choreograph light throughout the day, while the home’s open plan ensures natural cross-ventilation and visual continuity.
This controlled transparency gives the architecture its distinctive serenity: the spaces feel simultaneously open and protected, grounded yet floating.
Sustainability and Comfort
Sustainability in SW House arises from architectural intelligence rather than technology. The project maximizes passive cooling and lighting through orientation, ventilation, and shading. Locally sourced stone and wood minimize environmental impact, while the embedded leisure areas reduce heat gain and improve energy efficiency.
The design encourages coexistence with the natural environment, preserving native vegetation and enhancing the microclimate through thoughtful landscaping.
An Architecture of Equilibrium
In SW House, Jacobsen Arquitetura achieves a rare balance between sophistication and simplicity. The home’s geometry, proportion, and material honesty express Brazil’s modernist legacy reinterpreted for contemporary living.
It is not merely a weekend house—it is a statement of lifestyle and place, where architecture becomes an extension of the landscape and time moves at the rhythm of nature.
