Architects:Pitta Arquitetura

Area:260m²

Year:2025

Photographs:João Paulo Soares de Oliveira

Manufacturers:Geo Cerâmica,Marcenaria GM,Marmoraria Di Pietra,Marmoraria Mundo das Pedras,Portobello,Spot Iluminação

Lead Architects:Thiago Pitta, Rodrigo Pereira

Category:Residential Architecture,Houses

Coordination:Thiago Pitta, Rodrigo Pereira

Project Team:Luíza Querido

Landscape Desgin:Paisagismo Plantare

City:Ubatuba, São Paulo, Brasil

Country:Brazil

Text description provided by the architects. Set against the lush backdrop of the Atlantic Forest, this residence is a manifesto of how contemporary architecture can engage in an intimate and respectful dialogue with its surroundings. The project balances the solidity of modern lines with the warmth and lightness of natural materials, creating a sanctuary of comfort and design.

The house’s structure is defined by simple yet elegant volumetry. The architectural concept is highlighted by the imposing four-pitched roof, clad in black shingle tiles—a bold choice by the client that gives the ensemble a strong and contemporary visual identity. Generous eaves extend beyond the house’s limits, protecting the façade and interiors from direct sunlight while creating pleasant transitional areas between indoors and outdoors, such as verandas and open-air living spaces.

Fulfilling the clients’ specific wishes, the façade’s color palette is defined by the sophisticated contrast between weathered gray wood panels and the black metallic structure. This combination lends sobriety while allowing the house to blend seamlessly into the landscape.

Natural materials are the guiding thread of the project. Wood, the main protagonist, appears not only on the façade but also covers all the interior ceilings, extending onto the verandas to create a sense of continuity and warmth. Inside, wood is also present in the custom cabinetry, such as the open shelving in the living room and the kitchen cabinets, which—through their clean, functional design—integrate perfectly with the space.

Light-toned flooring runs through the social areas and extends onto the terraces and pool deck, unifying the environments and reinforcing the concept of integrated living. This material fluidity blurs boundaries and invites nature into the home.

Elements of modern tropical architecture are intelligently explored. Extensive wooden brise-soleil panels and adjustable shutters allow for natural light and privacy control, while also ensuring constant cross-ventilation—essential for the local climate. Large floor-to-ceiling glass openings can be fully retracted, transforming the living and kitchen areas into a wide veranda open to the garden and pool.

The decision for a black roof posed a technical challenge due to its high heat absorption. The solution was to create a custom ventilation system for the roof: a ventilated air cavity (known locally as a caixão perdido) was designed between the shingle layer and the wooden ceiling. This gap acts as a natural exhaust, allowing hot air to rise and escape, preventing heat transfer into the interior and ensuring thermal comfort without compromising the project’s aesthetic intent.

The house program was distributed across two floors to balance communal living and privacy. The ground floor serves as the social heart of the residence, designed with an open plan that promotes fluidity between the living room, dining room, and a kitchen with a central island. A versatile solution was implemented in the gourmet veranda area, which can be enclosed with folding panels to separate it from the main social spaces when desired. On this level, a more private hallway leads to two of the three ground-floor suites. The third suite, designed with direct access to the garden and pool area, offers the greatest connection to the landscape and was conceived as a special space for the children.

The upper floor is a private retreat, housing the spacious master suite and a multifunctional TV room/home office. This zoning ensures tranquility for the residents while offering privileged views of the Serra do Mar mountains and the surrounding greenery.

The landscaping was carefully designed to complement the architecture. Tropical species of varied sizes and textures surround the house, creating a dense garden that provides privacy and a constant sense of immersion in nature. The design of the deck and the irregular stone paving merges with the vegetation, leading to the pool—the centerpiece of the leisure area. The outdoor spaces invite relaxation, whether lounging on the veranda sofas or enjoying a swim with mountain views.

This residence embodies the desire for a life connected to nature, with a functional layout tailored to the family’s needs, without giving up elegance, comfort, and intelligent technical solutions.

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