Casa Cella: Summer Residence in El Pinar Built with iHouse Modular Architecture

Casa Sassi, located in a residential condominium in Caxias do Sul, in Serra Gaúcha, occupies a fenced double plot, with native forest in the background. The considerable size of the lot allowed the residence to be implemented centrally, keeping it away from the side boundaries, and directing the main openings towards the natural landscape.

The architectural project is structured as a square perimeter block that integrates an internal patio. This design blends references from modern and traditional architecture, presenting them in a contemporary language. The modern influence is notable in the compositional rigor, the strong horizontality, the absence of applied ornaments, and the clear organization of the architectural components.

The traditional references, although subtle, include the internal patio, which evokes the Roman domus and functions as a welcoming atrium, adjacent to an external vestibule that guides access and precedes the social areas. Furthermore, the underground level, whose walls are clad in rustic stone, alludes to the cellars of old Italian immigrant homes, honoring the family origin of the owners linked to the city's history.

The organization of spaces follows the same intention of compositional clarity: the social areas are located in the central part of the house, connecting the arrival atrium to the spacious rear veranda, facing the forest. The private wing, composed of bedrooms, is positioned to the east, while the service area, to the west, includes the kitchen, which relates to the living rooms through a core that defines but does not isolate this space.

This distribution ensures a clear separation between the different sectors of the house without compromising the fluidity of the communal spaces or the interaction between the interior and the exterior. The arrival process avoids the immediate exposure of the door, guiding the visitor through a succession of environments to the atrium and social zones. From the rear veranda, there is a transition to the garden and the forest, while the intimate sector maintains a more reserved position.

The orientation of the primary openings towards the interior of the lot ensures the privacy of the residents without limiting the breadth of the visual connection with the surrounding scenery. This feature is particularly relevant in the social spaces, where a large skylight allows vegetation to be seen beyond the horizontal limits.

From a construction point of view, materials in their natural state were prioritized, highlighting exposed concrete on the slabs and Corten steel on the front and rear facades. Due to the low local temperatures, special attention was paid to thermal comfort, implementing double walls, insulated glazing frames, and thermal insulation in the slabs.

In Casa Sassi, the interaction with the landscape is defined less by total transparency and more by how the openings, paths, and visual frames are organized. The forest is a constant element in the main social spaces, and the arrangement of the rooms and the various levels of opening manage to preserve both the privacy and the well-being of the residents. Thus, the broad connection with the exterior does not negate the inherent limits of the dwelling, but rather contributes to establishing its domestic character.

The project developed by Estudio Piloti Arquitetura involved the renovation of a house located in a charming village in the Lapa neighborhood. The initial property consisted of two small, superimposed houses.

With the goal of accommodating a family consisting of a couple and their three children, the project was conceived to integrate these two structures into a single functional residence.

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Information about this project was provided by the design team.