AA House / Argus Caruso - arquitetura e construção

Curated by Matheus Pereira

Architects: Argus Caruso - arquitetura e construção
Area: 165 m²
Year: 2019
Photographs:Gustavo Uemura
Manufacturers: AutoDesk, Acqualimp, Argos, Deca, Eliane, Fame, Koni, Nautilus, Pilão, Sayerlack Polisten, Tigre e Amanco, Tramontina
Lead Architect: Argus Caruso

Text description provided by the architects. Located in the middle of the Atlantic Forest, in Itamambuca beach, north coast of São Paulo, the project had as its premise a work that would provide comfort in warm summer and cold winter environment, optimizing the light input from the North face. The construction considered the use of natural materials such as bamboo, earth, natural fibers, and wood. The structure is in treated Eucalyptus and treated Pinus, both planted nearby.

All material that entered the work was 100% used and so far the work has not generated waste. The ceiling is green, with rainwater catchment. The social area sought to frame the beautiful mountain view, while the intimate part opens onto the side gardens. The house was born from the dream of two brothers, an artist, and producer from São Paulo and a building architect who lives in Itamambuca and made daily monitoring of the work.

INSOLATION
The living room/kitchen is fully shaded in summer. In winter, the sun's rays penetrate deep into the house. The windows and high ceilings allow them to reach most of the living room/kitchen, the concrete suspended floor and the earth wall absorb this heat during the day and radiate at night. The surrounding vegetation is already a barrier to the late summer sun, which of course has been resolved. The insolation was simulated by means of an electronic model, making it possible to project the upper windows on the north side of the rooms so that during the winter, the sunbeam hits the beds most of the time keeping them dry and warm. The clear floor bounces off the sunlight making an extra contribution to lighting.

VENTILATION - NATURAL AIR CONDITIONING
In the living room/kitchen, a forced circulation pulls the outside air (from the shady garden of Lilies), causes it to pass under the house and climb through pipes embedded in the central wall, being already inflated fresh into the environment, functioning as an air-conditioned. The high right foot favors the exchange of air. The sloping roof generates a steady flow of warm air coming out of the ridge and naturally coming in from the opposite side, coming from the south windows, receiving fresh air from the shade of the garden.

EARTH WALLS
Construction with earth makes the house breathe. For the high humidity situation of the place, this material could not be better. There were several techniques employed - the foundation of the slab is in hyperadobe, the walls, in general, are in pau a pique and a structural wall is in rammed earth. The main concern was to build a house with natural materials, when possible from the surroundings, but with a fine finish. The perfectly straight and smooth walls break the paradigm that an earth house is always crooked or badly finished.