- Project: Jungle House
- Architect: Studio MK27
- Location: Brazil, Guarujá, São Paulo
- Year: 2015
- Area: 805 m2
- Photography: Fernando Guerra | FG+SG
A House in the Rainforest
The Jungle House, also known as Casa na Mata, is one of Studio MK27’s most iconic residential works, rising from the dense Atlantic rainforest along Brazil’s Paulista shore. Elevated high above the treeline, the house offers sweeping views of the ocean while remaining deeply immersed in the lush mountain landscape.
Its siting respects the natural terrain and existing vegetation. Built on a mountainous plot, the house projects outward from the slope, touching the ground at only two points with slender structural pillars. Wooden decks and terraces weave around the vegetation, ensuring a delicate balance between construction and nature.
Vertical Program and Inverted Logic
The Jungle House spans three floors, each with a distinct program:
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Ground Floor: A large covered wooden deck provides shaded shelter, designed as a playground and gathering area. This level also includes utility spaces and a small children’s room.
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First Floor: The private zone, with six bedrooms and a TV lounge. Five of the bedrooms open onto verandas fitted with hammocks, offering tranquil views filtered through treetops.
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Top Floor: The social heart of the house—an expansive living area, open kitchen, and a spectacular swimming pool. This inverted arrangement places communal spaces and leisure at the top, turning the roof into a vibrant terrace in dialogue with both mountain and ocean.
Integration with Landscape
The design orchestrates a gradual experience of nature:
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On the ground floor, residents stroll among trees.
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On the bedroom level, light filters through the canopy.
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On the roof terrace, vegetation merges with the horizon and ocean views.
This progression blurs the line between architecture and landscape, making nature not just a backdrop but an active participant in daily life.
Materiality and Climate Control
Exposed concrete and natural wood dominate the material palette, blending durability with warmth. Bedrooms feature folding wooden brise-soleil screens, allowing residents to adjust shade and airflow depending on climate conditions. These elements, combined with cross-ventilation strategies, ensure comfort in the tropical environment.
Pool and Social Spaces
The infinity-edge pool appears to merge with the ocean horizon, extending the waterline into the landscape. A lowered living room floor heightens horizontality and creates continuity with the outdoor wooden deck. The top level integrates multiple atmospheres:
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A hot tub and sauna connect directly with the mountain vegetation.
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An outdoor fireplace and pool terrace engage with the ocean view.
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A central living pavilion remains open to both sides, with cross-ventilation maintaining a refreshing atmosphere.
This arrangement ensures that the top floor encapsulates the house’s philosophy: a radical, immersive relationship with the surrounding rainforest and sea.
A Tropical Modernist Landmark
The Jungle House embodies Studio MK27’s mastery of tropical modernism, where exposed materials, shaded verandas, and open-air transitions foster harmony between people and landscape. More than a house, it is a suspended refuge—simultaneously protective and porous—where modern living merges seamlessly with the rainforest.
