project: network house
Architects: female mutilation
Site: Brazil
photos by: Alexander Schneider
Grid House of FGMF
The Grid House is a stunning contemporary residence designed by FGMF. It is located in the midst of a fertile piece of land in Brazil and its residents enjoy stunning views of lush greenery in every direction. We’ve already featured this studio’s previous work, so the ingenious execution of this project should come as no surprise, but in case you missed it, check out their work on Mirante House and Cafezal House.
In an area of 53.24 hectares, only 65,000 square meters is not covered in lush native forest and is permanently protected. In this area of fortuitous terrain, where great stones are surrounded by araucaria trees, a small valley sheltered from the winds and close to the forest has been chosen. This is where nature walks intersect: the site where people arriving on the plot of land go, the access to the trails leading into the heart of the forest and to the top of the hill from where one sees a wonderful view.
Three main issues guided the concept of the project: the demand for a single-storey house, the desire to establish a direct relationship with the land and nature as well as the need to provide privacy for family members, as the main area is located in a single building. Another important factor we took into consideration was the high humidity levels in the area, which led us to suggest an above-ground house.
A structural grid of wood, with 5.5 x 5.5 x 3m modules, is suspended above this access core, connecting existing pathways and creating new ones. Thus, one can cross the bridge structure in three different ways: from above (the roof garden, which is a projection of the earth), from below (crossing a garden with water mirror and natural stones) and going through the middle of the house (crossing a covered outdoor area). This network contains modules, some of which are taken from closed environments; Some are completely empty, allowing trees from the garden below to cross the structure.
The program in the grid consists of a core, with a laundry area, a social area, a guest room and the owner’s apartment, and three separate units, with two bedrooms each, for the children. Among these empty modules highlight the structural continuity and enhance the empty spaces where the garden can be seen. This game of empty and enclosed spaces provides a piecemeal organization of the program, which protects the privacy of users and, at the same time, allows the group of buildings to be understood as a coherent whole.
Suspended over the valley and integrated into the hills, the house becomes the land and the land becomes the home, creating a new landscape. The built empty spaces, both inside and outside at the same time, allow us to see, under the lattice, the stones and the original forest garden, the surrounding trees and the supporting stones, where the house is immersed.
The wooden lattice, supported by a group of concrete pillars, is placed on the hill on two sides, as if sprouting from the ground. At this point of contact, the earth is carved with several walls made of stones pulled from the same area. To avoid an excessive number of columns in projecting the 2,000 square meter structure, and to provide wider open views of the garden below, large stainless steel beams are placed in every two units, each 11 meters long. These beams, along with the landscaping, form an important part of this work.
On top of the highest hill, from where one can contemplate the most generous views of the mountainous horizon, lies the leisure wing, divided into two blocks, with the same modification as that of the main residence. The wing is supported by two Cor-ten steel girders, in the shape of the wing, allowing 100% balance in the free range, on the ridge boundary. Leisure pavilion and residential complex, with the same structural network showing the antagonistic positions of land occupants – whether in the valley or on the hill, the unit creates a clear dialogue with the topography. 3 further service wings with garage, housekeeper’s house, maids’ quarters, dressing rooms, storerooms, etc. are wing-like structures, with the same 5.5 x 5.5m module, albeit in a stone structure. Large parallel plates made of stone set into the ground support the slabs. While the wooden structures are light and ethereal, these blocks are evidence of their different function through the clear support of the large planks on the floor.
Three levels of intrusion into the landscape have been identified. The idea is to reconstruct the margins of the forest and create a transition between open field and closed forest using native species compatible with the area. At the same time, in the rest of the open area, the park is used by trails with rest areas in the areas where the best views can be seen. Finally, in the sites near the buildings there is a garden before the works of architecture. On the upper floor, a continuation of the scheme, there is a linear water mirror that avoids the use of a body guard and relates to the large water mirror in the lower garden, around which is the largest stone on the site.
-FGMF
