High on the mountain, country house has spectacular views of nature

On top of a mountain in Itaipava (district of Petrópolis, in Rio de Janeiro), this weekend country house has 720 m² , distributed over two floors and was designed from scratch by architect Rafael Ramos for a childless couple. Due to the steep and uneven terrain of 2200 m² , the residence was built using a reinforced concrete system, with cantilevered beams and round pillars that, in addition to their structural function, add charm and personality to the architectural complex. “Overall, the clients asked for a contemporary home, with touches of sophistication, fully integrated into the external landscape . They currently live in the capital of Rio de Janeiro and have not ruled out the possibility of one day transforming the new property into their official residence,” says Rafael. The main concept of the project was to create a house oriented towards the main façade, leaving all the sloping land in front of it free (with views of the mountains), respecting the mandatory setbacks on the sides of the same. The façade features elements typical of contemporary Brazilian architecture, with large openings closed with sliding floor-to-ceiling frames (made of black aluminum with glass), combined with wooden slats and ceramic cladding with a concrete appearance .

In the main kitchen , the architect highlights the eight-seater dining table, attached to the cooking island , with space to comfortably fit four more chairs on days when the house is full. Right next door, separated by the same sliding doors as the facade, the gourmet space houses a pizza oven, a charcoal and gas grill, and an island with a beer tower . “In both the kitchen and the gourmet space, we covered the cabinets with wood veneer to make the spaces more welcoming,” he explains. The pool built on the same level as the balcony is 12 m wide, has an infinity edge and blue-green ceramic coating , as well as a small beach area in front of the main façade of the house, a solar heating system and return equipment to form a waterfall. In the master suite , the architect highlights the closet installed inside the bedroom (with a ribbed glass enclosure to allow natural light to enter) , the workbench attached to the outside of its structure and the bed facing the outside view, with floor-to-ceiling frames that open in an L shape.