- Project: 7 Patios House
- Architect: TETRO Arquitetura
- Location: Brazil, Alphaville, Nova Lima, Minas Gerais
- Year: 2022
- Area: 455 m2
- Photography: Gustavo Xavier
In the exclusive community of Alphaville, in Nova Lima, Minas Gerais, Brazil, TETRO Arquitetura designed the 7 Patios House—a 455 m² (≈ 4,897 ft²) residence that transforms challenges of its site into opportunities for comfort, privacy, and connection with nature.
Responding to Site and Context
The property sits on a sloped plot at the edge of a private condominium. While its location offers long views toward forests and mountains, it also faces less desirable conditions: the noise of a nearby highway and the presence of industrial sheds. From the start, the architects approached the design as a direct response to place, seeking to minimize negative impacts while amplifying the positive qualities of the terrain.
To shield the interiors from traffic noise and unwanted views, the main façade is defined by a solid wooden wall, pierced only by carefully framed openings. This solution filters sound, blocks the industrial backdrop, and establishes a warm, natural expression toward the street.
A House Organized Around Patios
As its name suggests, the dwelling is structured around seven patios, each serving as a microclimate and visual anchor for the surrounding rooms. Instead of facing outward toward the noisy highway, all spaces are oriented toward these intimate inner courtyards.
The largest of these patios occupies the center of the house, functioning as the heart of social and family life. Around it runs a continuous circulation corridor that connects every environment—from living areas to bedrooms—while maintaining constant contact with greenery and natural light. Smaller patios extend this connection to the outdoors, ensuring that each room enjoys privacy, ventilation, and framed views of the landscape.
Architectural and Landscape Strategies
The house occupies the full extent of its boundary limits as permitted by regulation, freeing the interior of the site for the creation of the generous central courtyard. This gesture not only maximizes outdoor living space but also establishes a buffer zone of calm between the residents and the external environment.
Visitors access the home through a striking passage framed by gabion stone walls. From the street, the house appears as a discreet, single-story volume rising lightly above the sloped terrain, surrounded by vegetation. This subtle presentation conceals the rich sequence of interior spaces that unfold within.
A Balance of Protection and Openness
The 7 Patios House demonstrates how architecture can negotiate opposing conditions: shielding its inhabitants from noise and unwanted views while opening them to light, greenery, and mountain vistas. By using patios as both functional and poetic devices, TETRO Arquitetura has crafted a residence where privacy, tranquility, and connection to nature coexist seamlessly.
