White Brick Houses by BLOCO Arquitetos in Brazil

Project: White Brick Houses
Architects: BLOCO Arquitetos
Location: Brazil
Area: 6,458 sq ft
Year: 2023
Photos by: Joana França

White Brick Houses by BLOCO Arquitetos

Crafted with meticulous artistic precision by skilled masons, the white brick houses represent a testament to accuracy and refined construction at the heart of Brazil. In a city renowned for its architectural masterpieces, this house reflects intricate craftsmanship visible in significant public buildings. Located in the Lagô Sul region, the layout of the house elegantly encompasses a central green space that serves as a sanctuary for main rooms facing it. The outer layer of white bricks, carefully arranged, creates an effect of varying visibility and privacy levels. This "second facade surface" pays homage to Brazil's architectural heritage, reinterpreting the role of the 'coqueiro' block in natural ventilation and lighting while adding a distinctive artistic element to the capital's architectural history.

The white brick houses were built through a highly artisanal process by master masons, slow and precise. Although such an approach to construction is not very common in Brazil today, using exposed solid bricks requires a high level of accuracy and structural sophistication—elements found in the most significant public buildings in Brazil.

Built on a residential complex in the Lagô Sul region of Brazil, the white brick houses project was arranged around the perimeter of the plot so that all main rooms could open onto a central area with a large green zone and a semi-Olympic pool. Thus, bedrooms, living rooms, terraces, kitchen, and even the garage were oriented toward a large garden area functioning as the central courtyard.

The facades are covered with an outer layer of solid white bricks. Different levels of openness are formed by varying distances between the bricks. The visibility through the bricks reflects different privacy levels needed for each room. The "gaps" between the bricks also provide natural cross-ventilation. Thus, the bricks form a "second facade" that controls direct sunlight, natural ventilation, and required privacy. The bricks have elongated dimensions specifically designed for this house.

Sparsely placed bricks reinterpret one of the most significant architectural elements in Brazil—the 'coqueiro' (breathing block)—which is crucial for ventilation and natural lighting in Brazilian architecture.

–BLOCO Arquitetos