Casa Açucena

If elevated living is something that appeals to you, there is a stunning piece of modern architecture in the shape of Casa Açucena that will definitely tick all of your aesthetic boxes. This spectacular piece of design has been created by Tetro Arquitetura and can be found in a lush Brazilian forest and it has been positioned in such a way that prevented the unnecessary removal of surrounding trees.

Brilliantly impactful both inside and out, Casa Açucena from Tetro Arquitetura was finished in 2021 and it is positioned on a steep site in the Nova Lima region of Minas Gerais, a remote area close to the city of Belo Horizonte. To accommodate the slope, the design studio behind the project perched the house on a series of black stilts, which emulate the random placement of trees in a forest. The house, in its white colour, is a surprise to those who arrive and the randomly placed black pillars blend in with the various tree trunks that surround it.

Throughout the shared spaces of Casa Açucena there are several angular skylights which do an excellent job of illuminating the interior areas, while also delivering those dramatic views of the surrounding treetops and the sky at night. The act of looking upwards, from the ground to the canopy of trees, elevated up to fifteen metres above ground level, was one of the most crucial design elements for both the clients and the architects.

Boasting three bedrooms inside the 500-square-metre property, Casa Açucena is one of the coolest looking pieces of architecture we’ve seen in a while here at The Coolector. Two of these bedrooms are on the main level, while another is on the lowest level, which is accessed through an exterior spiral staircase. Finishing off the home’s indoor-outdoor layout is an attractive swimming pool that juts out amongst the trees, which the architects integrated into the decking. Oversized picture windows in the study ensure a direct view of the pool from inside.

Tetro Arquitetura left the majority of the structural concrete exposed for this build, and chose a monochrome palette for finishes such as window frames, railings and light fixtures to give the property an understated and effortlessly cool aesthetic that it’s hard not to love. The furniture choices throughout reflect a more colourful palette, with eye-catching, contemporary leather pieces and warm wooden tones dotted throughout the property.

Images: Jomar Bragança.

Leo Davie