Escaping the hustle and bustle of São Paulo for the weekend is a way of life in the Brazilian megalopolis, not just for the wealthy, but for a large portion of the middle-class too, as many regularly make the two- or three-hour trek to second homes in the rolling countryside outside of the city or on the stunning beaches of the Litoral Paulista. But for Brazilian architect Arthur Casas’ latest project, Pacaembu House, the client wanted something very different.
‘I only want one house. Not two. I’m not driving anywhere for the weekend. I want to stay home and host all of my kids and our friends here, together, but with plenty of different spaces for the individual groups among us to gather. I want a house that is a home for all of us,’ the client told Casas. The latter’s response? ‘It was an interesting challenge, not just because of the brief. The site is complicated. It is located on a hillside, dropping seven metres from top to bottom, but that allowed us to do something special. We were able to create a real sanctuary with amazing views.’
