The upper floor, which can be completely closed with large panels to isolate visually and acoustically, is the most private program of bedrooms. A set of opaque closures and openings that ensure lighting and ventilation.
Casa Bento by FCstudio. Photograph by André Mortatti.
Casa Bento by FCstudio. Photograph by André Mortatti.
The range of materials used in the construction refers to the São Paulo school, showing steel, corten steel, folded sheet metal, wood and concrete in a natural way so that their ageing is also another layer of memory added to the house, in reference to the best masters of Brazilian brutalism.
Flavio Castro has not only been in charge of the interior design but has also done part of the furniture design, such as the Brasilia coffee table, the Ensamble dining table, the Box side table and the Move bench.
Casa Bento by FCstudio. Photograph by André Mortatti.
Project description by FCstudio
Like a metallic container placed above exposed concrete walls, this house establishes two types of relationships with the surroundings. The upper floor can be closed 100% to block sunlight, guarantee privacy and acoustically isolate intimate spaces. But, if chosen, the facade opens at strategic points for lighting and ventilation.
The ground floor, in the opposite way, opens up to the garden in a fluid way. The notion of inside and outside is weakened by the large glass openings, while the furniture establishes a harmonious dialogue between architecture and the Brazilian design of the pieces. We designed some of them, such as the Brasilia coffee table, the Ensamble dining table, the Box side table, and the Move bench.
The lower floor supports the ground floor and is in the basement so as not to block the view of the perimeter gardens. The project is a contemporary urban residence for a young couple with two young daughters. So functionality is essential.
The materials are sincere and unadorned. Steel, wood, and concrete are shown as they are and the natural wear of each of them serves as a very welcome testimony to the concept adopted. From the public street, the Bento house is shy and discreet. The folded metal sheet of the upper floor and the gate creates a visual barrier so that, after crossing it, the visitor can perceive that the ground floor is integrated with the garden and represents an oasis in the midst of the urban fabric of São Paulo.
