Articles by Susanna Moreira

Set on a sharply sloped lot in the Aldeia do Vale Condominium in Goiânia (GO), this residence is part of an occupancy strategy that aims to adapt to the natural topography, reducing land cuts and exploring the possibilities of the elevation to distribute the program.

A house designed for a hillside amidst the Atlantic rainforest. Situated at the top, where the access to the land is also located, this residence was built with a mixed system of structural masonry and reinforced concrete, and in addition to these materials, it features glass as one of the main elements, creating a solid structure that integrates with the topography of the land.

A house designed for a hillside amidst the Atlantic rainforest. Situated at the top, where the access to the land is also located, this residence was built with a mixed system of structural masonry and reinforced concrete, and in addition to these materials, it features glass as one of the main elements, creating a solid structure that integrates with the topography of the land.

The house is positioned on the site with the aim of responding in a relatively simple way to two central questions: How can it capture a panoramic view of the horizon, which also brings us the presence of the sea? How can it embrace outdoor spaces that simultaneously protect the residents’ privacy from neighbors’ views and ensure comfort on days of strong wind?

Set on a steep terrain with a privileged view of a lake, Cedar House embodies the desire to inhabit the landscape with lightness and depth. The design is anchored in the natural relief, allowing the topography to guide the architecture. The entrance is at the upper level, where the bedrooms and office are located.

Set on a steep terrain with a privileged view of a lake, Cedar House embodies the desire to inhabit the landscape with lightness and depth. The design is anchored in the natural relief, allowing the topography to guide the architecture. The entrance is at the upper level, where the bedrooms and office are located.

The project was born out of a couple’s dream of a mountaintop property in the countryside of Pinto Bandeira, Rio Grande do Sul. The clients wanted a special refuge and found this unique place, from where there is a splendid view of an incredible valley, with the Rio das Antas in the background meandering through the landscape. A perfect setting for admiring the sunrise and sunset, and for contemplating the moonlit and starlit nights, enveloped in silence and tranquillity.

Situated on the edge of the Ecological Station of the Brasília Botanical Garden, the house emerges beneath a broad roof that shelters and organizes the living spaces, creating a generous shaded area and establishing a direct connection between the built environment and the natural surroundings. The arrangement of volumes and voids beneath this roof defines the rhythm of the structure, dissolving the boundaries between the house and its surroundings. The architecture blends with the sky and the horizon of the Cerrado, creating a continuous connection with the landscape and allowing the natural environment to permeate daily life.

The “Áurea housing” project had as its initial premise the concept of the golden ratio. It developed with the implantation of two golden rectangles and from then on, all spaces flowed naturally. The intersection of these rectangles gives rise to an interior courtyard with the function of dividing the social area from the private area and maximizing the use of natural light and panoramic views, promoting a strong connection between the internal spaces and the external landscape.

A solid white form that contrasts with its immediate surroundings. This is the principle behind the design of Casa Bosque, located on a narrow lot within a horizontal condominium of attached houses. This white canvas, being homogeneous, does not evoke the subjective mental image of a house and allows for an open perception of what is seen, offering a complete reading of the volume, without areas of concentration or elements that “pull” the eye. As artist Robert Ryman states, “white is merely a way to expose other elements, allowing other things to become visible.” By choosing this volume, the design begins with a unified concept where the design itself defines the flows and layouts contained within this rigid geometry.