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Architects: IN arq+design
- Area: 5382 ft²
- Year: 2022
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Photographs:Brenda Pontes
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Manufacturers: Alma Light, Alves e Nicoletti, Bali Home, Bazar Familia Coelho, Bontempo, Capri Decor, Docol, Doimo, Estudio Elmor, Estúdio Bola, Hot System, Inove Design, Jader Almeida, Kholler, Konkre, Kujawa Mármores, Lattoog, Light & Co, Monofloor, Oda Design, +8
Text description provided by the architects. Initially known as Casa MIC, Curitiba's iconic brutalist residence, it is an original project of renowned architect Manoel Coelho, built in 1981, where he and his family lived for 40 years.
In order to renovate and revitalize the original facilities and to adapt to the needs of its new residents, in 2021 began the Retrofit Project, developed by the office IN arq+design. With the goal to maintain the main features of its original design, redesign flows, and reinterpret environments, the new building cycle received the title of House 275.
The House has 2 floors distributed in half levels, three of them considered Intimate Floors and a Social Floor, with an outdoor garden area and swimming pool.
The freshness of its new phase has a complete reform of electrical and hydraulic infrastructure, including important topics of the project, such as modification in its plant on the Intimate Floor and in its rooms and in the Social Floor, promoting, at the same time, technological innovation through the installation of solar panel systems, water reuse, automation, heated flooring, internet, and security.
The largest design intervention was in the Suite, aiming at the need for its expansion and construction of a new bathroom – to a total of two bathrooms in the environment – and transformation from the old guest room to the new closet. Previously the suite had 35m² and currently has approximately 63m² integrated into the closet.
In addition to the Suite, the Layout was also changed in the old Ceramic St. Pottery Studio, where it was integrated into the Social Living Floor and became the Kitchen Bar, a fun space to celebrate with friends and family.
Another important modified point was the Winter Garden, which was formerly next to the Dining Room, separated by a window frame. This frame that divided the environments was removed for the integration of the spaces and the roof opening was sealed with a new frame, giving lightness and freshness to the project, harmonizing the vegetation with light and concrete, together with the zeniths on the imposing slab.
In the process of surveying the construction, infiltration from the Winter Garden Waterfall was pointed out. The stones that covered the Cascade were labeled, removed for the correction of infiltration and installation of the new water renewal system and later the same stones were reinstalled.
What really helped finish the work in an incredible way was the restoration of the original concrete of the house. Due to the weather and infiltrations, some areas were damaged with concrete and exposed hardware. These damages were treated, restored, and revitalized, in a very delicate process.
The main challenge of the Project - being a Retrofit - was to find the fine line between the development of the project meeting the needs of customers and the maintenance of the important points of the residence, characteristic of the original project. Several possibilities have been studied for these situations in order to maintain powerful architectural characteristics.
Because it is an iconic residence, with a lot of personalities and also out of respect for the original design, the office chose to reread several languages that existed in the House originally, such as the use of the primary colors that were part of practically all environments. The rereading aimed to synthesize the colors alternating with more closed tones, which better represented the new cycle of residence and new residents.
Some original and iconic items of the residence have been restored and maintained, such as the yellow brises of the façade, the luminaires that have been restructured and relocated, some wooden furniture, and the characteristic yellow tiles.
Regarding Interior Design, the concept was the freedom of the furniture, always thinking about the feeling of loosening, balance, and prominence of the blocks of colors and textures. The lighting is punctual and discreet, valuing these blocks and their position in space. To acclimate, items of art and design were chosen as Couch Barcelona and Poltrona Red and Blue (original, acquired in the Coelho family bazaar) among other pieces of Brazilian signed design such as various furniture from Estúdio Bola, Pelican armchair from Elmor Studio, as well as tapestries such as the Pompeii Carpet by Giacomo Tomazi and Off White Tapestry wall by Alex Rocca.
