Tuesday, November 4, 2014

3. Casa das Canoas (Canoas House), Oscar Niemeyer - By Camila Figueiredo

The “Casa das Canoas” was a project designed by the most famous architect in Brazil, Oscar Niemeyer (1907-1912), winner of the Pritzker Architecture Prize on 1988. The project was made for his third home, it was completed in 1953. It’s located inside the Tijuca Forest, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

The house was designed on a sloping lot. The idea was accompanying the climbing road in one of the sides, placing the gate for automobiles at the highest point. This solution was taken to avoid interference from cars to anyone in this house. Another interesting point resulted from that solution is the vision of the house, forest and swimming-pool provided by downward slope from the gate. The house is completely integrated into the nature.
The house has a play of transparencies and opacities to design a dynamic space. The straight line accentuate the contrast with the first element that dominates the look: a sinuous and free flat roof which generously exceeds the occupancy limits of the building. Between the house and swimming-pool there is a rock that articulates and connects the internal space to the external.The implantation was done with cutting only three plateaus: one for the small upper parking lot and two others for the floors of the house. The continuous floor foreground accentuates the flow of shared spaces like the living rooms, dining room, bathroom, kitchen and the pool area.

Downstairs is an intimate part of the house, with 3 bedrooms and a living room.
The “Casa das Canoas” is an example of dynamism and articulation, which were characteristics of Niemeyer.




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