- Project: Redux House
- Architect: Studio MK27
- Location: Brazil, Sao Paulo
- Year: 2013
- Area: 679 m2
- Photography: Fernando Guerra | FG+SG
Nestled on the edge of a native forest in Itatiba, within the gated community of Quinta da Baroneza, Redux House by Studio MK27 is a masterclass in minimalist architecture, site sensitivity, and Brazilian modernism. With 7,308 sq ft of living space, this single-story residence offers unobstructed 360-degree views, a delicate relationship with its sloping terrain, and a refined architectural composition that makes it appear as if it were floating above the ground.
Site & Concept: Building with the Land
The house sits on an open plot overlooking a preservation area, a setting that demanded minimal intervention. Studio MK27’s solution was to implant the house at the highest point of the slope, optimizing sunset views while reducing environmental impact.
Instead of cutting deeply into the terrain, the architects placed the house on a raised concrete slab just 50 cm above ground, supported by recessed beams. This subtle move makes the structure appear to hover delicately above the landscape, strengthening its visual lightness and connection to nature.
Architectural Composition: Four Boxes and Two Slabs
Redux House is organized around a pure structural parti:
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A floor slab raised above the terrain.
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A roof slab mirroring its footprint.
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Four distinct programmatic boxes inserted between them.
This disciplined framework generates a balance between openness and enclosure:
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Private wing – four bedrooms and a sauna.
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Master suite – isolated for privacy and views.
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Service core – kitchen, laundry, staff quarters, and support areas.
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Garage & technical spaces – completing the functional program.
Between these volumes lie interstitial spaces—terraces, circulation corridors, and the expansive glazed living room, which opens fully to the surrounding forest through sliding glass panels.
The Floating Pool and Deck
Projecting out from the main slab is a cantilevered pool and deck. This bold concrete volume extends along the site’s downward slope, ending in a dramatic floating span. It visually anchors the house to the landscape while enhancing the sense of suspension.
Light, Shade & Rhythm
Redux House balances transparency and shading with precision.
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Glass living spaces dissolve boundaries between interior and exterior, pulling the forest and sunset into the daily experience of the home.
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Wooden louvers wrap the bedroom volumes, filtering sunlight into shifting patterns by day. At night, when illuminated, these boxes glow like lanterns in the landscape.
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Gaps between volumes and slabs allow natural light to penetrate deep into the interiors, creating a dynamic play of brightness and shadow.
This rhythm of solid and void defines the architecture’s character—at once minimalist and sensorial.
Materiality & Atmosphere
The palette is reduced yet rich in expression:
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Concrete → structure, weight, and horizontality.
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Glass → openness, continuity, and reflection.
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Wooden slats → warmth, privacy, and texture.
Together, these materials create an atmosphere of quiet luxury, a hallmark of Studio MK27’s design ethos: minimalist form enriched by tactile materials and climatic response.
Redux House in the Context of Studio MK27’s Work
Redux House exemplifies Studio MK27’s consistent pursuit of simplicity, horizontality, and Brazilian identity. Like the Osler House in Brasília and the Jungle House in Guarujá, it explores the idea of living in seamless contact with landscape. But Redux House distills this philosophy further, reducing architecture to its essential structural and spatial gestures—slabs, boxes, openness, and rhythm.
