House preserves traditional look and adds modernity to living

With a narrow and short lot, Casa do Yuji is located in Baixo Pinheiros , near Largo da Batata, in the west zone of São Paulo. Designed by the Goiva office, of architects Karen Evangelisti and Marcos Mendes , the building, which is around 40 years old, is made of solid bricks, preserving a traditional look on a street with little traffic.

The architects took as a starting point the request of resident Yuji for a modern house , with good finishing and construction technology , in addition to two bedrooms on the upper floor and a bathroom , as the property already had. Working with Brazilian design in the interiors was also a request from the resident – met through a curatorship that maintains contact with architecture and values national artists, with furniture designed by Gustavo Bittencourt, Guilherme Wentz and Estúdio Bola.

The social area was a priority for the client, who loves to entertain. On the ground floor, the living room and kitchen are connected for easy movement and, at the back, a barbecue area was built connected to the kitchen, as well as a deck as an access area.

In the original layout of the house, the hallway was used only for circulation, but it became part of the social area. This extension of the house, also incorporated to bring natural light to the kitchen and living room , was adorned by landscaping , implemented as a view block, protecting privacy.

The biggest challenge, according to the architects, was the structural part of the project, considered the most complex. New support structures were added along the original walls, which served as the main support system, and the body of the house was extended in concrete in the kitchen area. “Changing the structure of the house, modernizing its daily life and its use without interfering with the ancient language and history was by far our biggest challenge”, comments Marcos Mendes .