Iporanga Jungle House / Nitsche Arquitetos Associados

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Iporanga Jungle House

Iporanga Jungle House is designed by Nitsche Arquitetos Associados a condominium for summer houses, located in Sao Paulo Coast region preserved and protected area of the original Atlantic Rainforest, in Iporonga about 120 km from the capital. Structural concept of the house was inspired by a small river bridge typical of this litoraneal area. The volume of wood frame is a “private” part of the house, because the side of the road was covered by opaque board (made of wood and covered on both faces with a slab of cement), glass panel with nylon curtain, and on the forest side, aluminum sliding doors common room opening onto the verandah.

The exuberance of this native forest has taken the client to demand a house that occupied the minimum as possible of the ground (lot) surface. But at the same time he wanted it to be large and comfortable, and asked for 5 suites, one for the couple, one for each of his 3 sons and one for guests, which demanded not less the 400m2 to be built.

So we decided to split the program in 3 levels: a suspended volume, wood structured for the 5 suites, so they would be on the trees´ crown/top; a plan, the concrete slab elevated from the ground to support all of the program social activities, living, dining room the kitchen and the swimming pool; and underneath it, on ground level there is a small enclosed area for services. A small accommodation for a house keeper couple, a laundry and a deposit.

The wood frame volume is the “private” part of the house, therefore on the street side it is enclosed by opaque boards (made of wood and covered on both faces with a cement slab), glass panels along with a nylon curtain, and on the forest side, aluminum sliding doors opening the rooms to a common veranda.

This volume creates a shadow on the slab, and we used that shadow for the social area. This “middle” floor is almost an open space, protected on all sides by transparent temperate glass sliding panels, so the forest can be seen at all times. The intention was to minimize the difference between inner and outside space, making it work all as one integration area.

The structural concept of the house was inspired by small brook bridges typical from this litoraneal area. Rising from the foundation in humid soil, concrete columns support the Steel beans which support the wood frame. We tried to make the construction an assembling of parts more than an in loco process, concerning less waste at the building site, more agility and propper use of industrialized materials.

Project Data

Project name: Iporanga Jungle House
Location: Iporanga, Guaruja, Sao Paulo, Brazil
Type: Forest House, Holiday House, Steel House, Tropical House
Project Area: 554 sqm (including terraces)
Building area: 364 sqm
Project Year: 2005
Completion Year: 2006

Awards:

2nd place, young architects award, IAB – SP, 2007

The people

Client / Owner / Developer: Private
Architects: Nitsche Arquitetos Associados
Project Architect: Lua Nitsche, Pedro Nitsche, Renata Cupini, Suzana Barboza, Mariana Simas
Text Description: © Courtesy of Nitsche Arquitetos Associados
Images: © Nelson Kon