In 2017 we were invited by an architecture office to create a landscape project for a high standard house in a luxury condominium in Barra da Tijuca, Rio de Janeiro. The lot was 1000M² and until then the client was a constructor and real estate developer. He wanted to promote the architecture project with a beautiful landscape design, which would improve the quality of life of their future residents. In the end of 2018, the same architecture office called us to another project, but now it would be a complex challenge. The house had been bought by a client who also bought the 1000M² lot just by it. When we had the first meeting he described his desire to build a tennis court and unify the landscape project with the previous one.
So our first challenge was to discourage him of this idea and convince him that the new land had a lot of other potentials. We explained that we could create landscape elements that would improve the use of the house and its external spaces. We wanted to create outdoor areas with a diversity of activities, colors, textures and smells. The client opened his mind and got excited with the new proposal of having a magic place. But he imposed a new challenge as a condition to hire us: we should create the project in a short space of time because he didn’t like long projects and constructions. From there we started to create a concept that would be the “heaven on earth”. In two weeks we had developed the conceptual project with a lot of research. The team made a 3d presentation in video and researched how we could build such a complex structure for a pergola. It was important to know what materials we could use and who would sculpt this piece full of movement and curves.
This was our third challenge which we overcame when we elected aluminium and synthetic fiber. A business partner offered to make a prototype with the project forms, colors and type of braided. The fourth challenge was to build the lake following our propouses. We found a business partner over again that would make the difference. He put stones weighing up to 3 tons perfectly using a big crane and made it all simple. Finally we had to choose the plant species! Our fifth challenge would be to research and select the best of Brazilian flora. We had to map in different states the availability of young plants in the market. Our biggest goal was to create a landscape where nature would be lush and become the greatest emocional value for those who would enjoy it. First the concept was created by the partner Claudio Pedalino (he swears he was inspired by his muse’s breast) but at that point it had already lost its paternity. After finishing the landscape design presentation, the pergola´s nickname went from breast to onions, hollows, huts, drops, etc…
The pergolas are two large huts designed respectively, one for meeting friends, with a low floor and a central fireplace and the other for moments of relaxation and meditation. The project has a 250m² lake in the central part of the terrain. On the edges, the team designed one side with a wooden deck where the family can circulate with confort between the huts and a dining table. The other side of the lake is surrounded by a sand beach and the garden. It is composed of a large number of plant species between natives and exotics. The winding path made with natural stones leads to a walk full of surprises and exciting scenarios. Philodendrons, aquatic species, a grove of Jabuticabeiras (Myrciaria trunciflora) in addition to many other species that appear at each step.
The lawn invites children to a free play area. The palm trees, already planted 5 m high, make the volumetric balance with the designed huts. Also on this lawn, a space with hammocks was created for a relaxed rest in the late afternoon. In a land that was an arid sandy terrain, today is home for a lot of fishes, birds, insects which find there a balanced ecosystem. It offers a diversity of fruits, like the ones from Jabuticabeira (Myrciaria trunciflora), a brazilian native tree, and an abundant flowering of many types of plant species.
Nowadays, the residence is often visited by the client’s family and friends and the external area is the leading figure of the house. We firmly believe in our purpose and especially in our vision of business which is to create landscape environments that are so charming/delightful they can awaken in people their best feelings. So we hope to create like this a better world. Therefore we are sure that besides following our vision, we did something beautiful, unprecedented and magic. This project is a place where nature can provide emotional gains and make people feel comfortable. Their glare when they see it makes us more sure that we should win this award.
Project location: Rio de Janeiro – RJ – Brazil
Design year: 2019
Year Built: 2019
