- Project: Brauninhas House
- Architect: Pablo Lanza Arquitetura
- Location: Brazil, Itu, São Paulo
- Year: 2020
- Area: 887 m2
- Photography: André Mortatti
Brauninhas House by Pablo Lanza Arquitetura is a weekend retreat in Itu, São Paulo, that elegantly balances leisure, family life, and architectural expression. Positioned on a steeply sloped plot, the house organizes sports, entertainment, and private living areas with clarity and flow. A generous balcony becomes the structural spine, dividing active and restful zones while framing nature and light.
Project Overview
Set within a dramatic, sloped parcel, Brauninhas House was conceived to accommodate a São Paulo family’s dual demands: active recreation and relaxed gathering. The program is ambitious—gym, tennis court, pool, spa, cinema, gourmet kitchen, guest zones—all within a coherent residential framework.
The project takes advantage of a north-oriented rear view. To reconcile the diverse requirements of sports and social life, the architecture positions these uses at opposite ends, linked by a long balcony that becomes both circulation and organization.
Design Concept & Spatial Strategy
L-Shaped Ground Plan & Overlap
The ground floor is organized in an “L” layout. At the intersection sits the kitchen and vertical circulation, acting as the functional pivot. Across the wings, uses diverge: on one side, the sports program; on the other, the social and entertainment zones.
Given width constraints and the requirement for generous sightlines, upper-level wings overlap in plan, connected via a linear staircase. This stacking enables efficient use of area while preserving visual openness.
Balcony as Organizer
A continuous wooden slat balcony becomes the architectural spine. It divides, connects, shades, and animates the façade. From its vantage, the family enjoys views and daylight while the architecture reads as cohesive and continuous.
Materiality & Expression
The material language is contemporary but warm:
-
Rustic ceramic brick (dark brown): Provides texture and grounding contrast to glass and wood.
-
Wooden slat panels: Wrap façades and unify volumes while allowing ventilation and light modulation.
-
Glass expanses: Open social zones to the landscape, making interior and exterior feel unified.
-
Reinforced concrete structure: Underlies the massing and accommodates cantilevers.
-
Pergolas and wooden elements: Provide shading and rhythm to exterior and transitional zones.
Together, these materials merge robustness and refinement, balancing transparency and enclosure.
Interior & Programmatic Experience
-
Sports wing: Includes a full gym, beach tennis, half basketball court, pool, sauna, spa.
-
Social / entertaining wing: Gourmet kitchen, fireplace room, outdoor lounge, cinema, pub, underground cellar.
-
Residential blocks: Split into guest and intimate zones, each with comparable views, access, and comfort.
-
Circulation & transitions: The central staircase and balcony connect levels and zones with clarity and elegance.
Within the home, activity zones and repose zones coexist without interference, while views and natural light pervade every space.
Landscape, Views & Site Integration
The house responds to the slope by stepping forms and overlapping volumes. Views to the north are emphasized through glazing and orientation. Greenery and planting soften edges. The architecture complements the topography rather than dominating it.
Brauninhas House by Pablo Lanza Arquitetura is a powerful example of how residential architecture can manage large, varied programs intelligently and poetically. Through its L-shaped form, expressive balcony, material contrasts, and site-aware organization, the house offers a compelling retreat that is both dynamic and harmonious.
