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The story of the Glass House, by Lina Bo Bardi, in Morumbi

Built in the 1950s, Lina Bo Bardi's Glass House is a landmark in modern architecture

By Ana Carolina Harada

Updated at Dec 9, 2017, 4:51 PM - Submitted at Dec 1, 2017, 4:17 PM

03 min de leitura
"Lina Bo Bardi in the Glass House, project by Lina Bo Bardi", 1952, photograph by Chico Albuquerque, part of the exhibition at MIS, São Paulo, 2013.

"Lina Bo Bardi in the Glass House, project by Lina Bo Bardi", 1952, photograph by Chico Albuquerque, part of the exhibition at MIS, São Paulo, 2013.(Dedoc/)

When Lina Bo Bardi and her husband, Pietro Maria Bardi, arrived in Brazil, the architect had not yet completed any projects. Casa do Morumbi, as Lina called it, was her first completed project, begun between 1950 and 1951 and was the home of the couple for more than 40 years.

This ambitious residence, which floats on pillars, was the first house in the Morumbi neighborhood, which gave Lina an abundant area of more than 7,000 m² to build the house and plant a garden, listed in the 1980s, around it.

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(Wikimedia Commons / CASACOR)

In line with other glass houses around the world, such as Mies van der Rohe's Farnsworth House, the Glass House is an icon of modern architecture and a great example of the experimentation that marked the era. In private areas, such as bedrooms, bathrooms and closets, the materials are opaque, however, the large living room is entirely made of glass, blending the interior with the surrounding forest.

The lighting during the day is entirely natural and, at night, comes from lights on the blue floor and wall lamps designed by Lina herself. To top it off, she places furniture with blue legs in her glass room, to convey the idea of suspension and lightness.

Today, the residence houses the Lina Bo and PM Bardi Institute, and is open for scheduled visits. An exhibition about the life and work of Lina and other Glass Houses around the world will be at the Institute until March 4, 2018, from Thursday to Sunday, at specific times: 10:15 am, 11:45 am, 2 pm and 3:30 pm

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GLASS HOUSE SERVICE Website: www.institutobardi.com.br