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 completely to block sunlight, guarantee the privacy as well as acoustically isolate intimate spaces. The façade can be opened at strategic points for lighting and ventilation.
The ground floor, in the opposite direction, opens up to the garden in a fluid way. The notion of inside and outside is blurred by the large glass openings, while the furniture establishes a harmonious dialogue between architecture and the Brazilian designer pieces. Some of the furniture like the Brasilia coffee table, the Ensamble dining table, the Box side table and the Move bench has been custom designed to complement the outer steel structure of the house.
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 which made functionality a very essential element.
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.
