- Project: House D+J
- Architect: Pablo Lanza Arquitetura
- Location: Brazil, Itu, São Paulo
- Year: 2023
- Area: 1044 m2
- Photography: André Mortatti
House D+J by Pablo Lanza Arquitetura is a bold contemporary residence in Itu, Brazil, designed around family life, leisure, and connection to nature. With an L-shaped plan, expressive material contrasts, abundant glazing, and carefully oriented volumes, the house reframes luxury as spatial fluidity, privacy, and environmental responsiveness.
Project Overview
Set in a large, well-chosen lot, House D+J is conceived for a couple and their two children, while also supporting guests, a home office, and recreational facilities. The program includes a lap pool, beach tennis court, a full gym, gourmet space, playroom, sauna, and generous indoor and outdoor living areas.
Given the orientation and site context, the house is arranged so that its strongest facades face northeast, capturing morning light and views while shielding from harsh western sun. Privacy is preserved from the street by composing the layout in an L shape, turning away from direct street views.
Design Concept & Spatial Strategy
Light & Orientation
From the start, the architects prioritized the northeast sunrise direction and scenic views. Public and social areas are placed to benefit from morning light, while private areas are shielded from overheating. The L-shape plan enables an active tactile edge to the site, wrapping around outdoor amenities.
Material Contrast & Expression
The ground floor “base” is built with heavier materials (stone, masonry) to ground the design, while upper volumes appear lighter. Vertical ribbed panels are used to articulate façades and bring rhythm. The gourmet space features a slender glulam roof that cantilevers outward, connecting interior and exterior seamlessly.
Programmatic Flow
The gourmet / social wing acts as the heart of the home, adjacent to the playroom, sauna, and pool. The home office, guest zones, and leisure facilities are arranged to support both daily life and entertainment. Transitions between indoor and outdoor, formal and informal, are fluid and continuous.
Interior Experience & Atmosphere
Inside, the house blends solidity and transparency. Floor-to-ceiling glazing dissolves boundaries, enabling views of greenery and water features. Wood, stone, and concrete materials are layered to evoke warmth, texture, and material richness.
The glulam roof over the gourmet space becomes a defining gesture, sheltering the social core while framing views and light. Interiors are generous, open yet comfortable, with zones articulated through volumetric variation, ceiling heights, and spatial hierarchy.
Landscape, Amenities & Leisure
House D+J is not merely a residence—it is a lifestyle container. The design includes:
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A lap pool aligned with the social wing
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A beach tennis court and garden spaces
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A gym and wellness areas connected to the overall flow
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Outdoor terraces and pergolas that extend living spaces
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Landscaping that complements the architecture, using plants to filter views and reinforce privacy
Together, architecture and landscape interplay to create a resort-like domestic environment.
Sustainability & Responsiveness
Though the project is primarily about form, program, and lifestyle, it also displays environmental sensitivity:
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Orientation and shading mitigate solar heat gain
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Glazing is placed to support natural ventilation and daylighting
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Material choices balance durability, texture, and thermal mass
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Volumetric arrangement reduces exposure and helps climate control
In this way, House D+J aligns aesthetic ambition with practical performance.
House D+J by Pablo Lanza Arquitetura is a compelling example of contemporary Brazilian residential design. It balances privacy and openness, programmatic richness and formal clarity, and luxury with grounded spatial logic. Its material contrasts, orientation strategy, and family-driven program make it both expressive and livable.
This is more than a showcase—it’s a home built for real life, where architecture enhances experience and connection at every turn.
