Guilherme Torres’ Jatobá House in Brazil is the ultimate country house that has escapism as its mantra as it is located far from the city in close connection to nature for residents enjoy nature in its purest and simplest form disconnecting from the urban lifestyle.
The project’s conception started with a large block, which evolved volumetrically and was fragmented, filling the entire plot of land. The five large white cubic blocks that mark the project were then created: each of them is an independently functioning suite.
Thus, the privacy and comfort of the family, consisting of a young couple with two teenage children, are preserved. A large wall made of rammed earth, made with sand and earth from the site itself, surrounds the entire house and also takes part in the structure.
This millennial technique creates a unique identity, for there is nothing like it anywhere in the world, both in aesthetics – the coloring and spacing of the layers – and in size.
To make this method possible, due to the size and proportion of the construction, high-quality adhesives were used to increase the strength and durability of the material.
The house is made entirely of CLT (Cross Laminated Timber), which is wood planks interlaced and pressed at high temperature and pressure. This forms the slab and all the structural parts of the project, substituting concrete for raw wood.
The living room preaches the concept of total integration, with a dining and living room separated by a large multifunctional counter with its surface coated in flamed granite. In the briefing, the clients asked for a TV room.
The project exceeded expectations: a sunken room was created with a large masonry sofa, where futons were positioned inside the core. And the best, the space is 100% open and unveils completely to the outside area.
On rainy days, all the built-in awnings lower and close the whole ambiance. The furniture design is entirely authorial.
The big stars are the Supernova table, in a special and exclusive edition made of washed freijó (Brazilian wood) combined with the Orbe Chair, both pieces of furniture from the Orbe line signed by Guilherme Torres.
The architects chose handcrafted artwork, made by indigenous people, to create unique compositions, matching the project’s raw colors and materials, such as rustic wood, earthen bricks, and beamless structural block walls.
The leisure area has a sauna, a spa, and a pool on three levels with a beautiful waterfall, all with privileged views of the beautiful nature that surrounds the house.
One of the great highlights is the floor, made with basalt shards – the predominant stone in the Moon’s soil – which covers the entire perimeter of the project.
Really, walking through the corridors of Jatobá House is like floating on lunar soil: the feeling of calmness, far from all civilization, is very similar.
The country house’s idea is to live a more organic, playful, and healthy life, but the architects did not forget about sustainability.
Guilherme Torres has designed a luxurious country house in the middle of the Atlantic Forest using minimal yet imposing volumes and simple lines to create a pure and relaxing atmopshere
Jatobá House has been awarded a 2022 International Architecture Award by The Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design and The European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies.
Photographers: Denilson Machado – MCA Estúdio
