Renovation enhances the social area of this 270 m² Brazilian apartment

The residents' desire to make minimal interventions to the original layout guided the decisions of the renovation project for this apartment of 270 m² in Brasília, designed by the office BLOCO Arquitetos, founded by partners Henrique Coutinho, Daniel Mangabeira, and Matheus Seco, and part of the cast of CASACOR Brasília. The project proposes a new organization for the social area and aims to "enhance" its space, meeting the functional needs of the couple and their two small children. The living room, the family’s main social space, has been integrated with the kitchen. In this space, the architects designed an "island" with a stove, which allows the couple to interact with guests while preparing meals. The interventions focused on the removal and reorganization of walls and doors, while much of the existing infrastructure and materials were preserved. The concrete pillars, previously covered in gray paint, were restored to expose the original material.

Since the gray porcelain tile floor was already part of the original apartment, the architects chose to keep it. Over it, elements of cabinetry and furniture made of natural wood veneer were added. A TV on a floor stand allows the living area to face the view of Burle Marx Park, across from the building. This configuration also ensures ample natural light enters the room — one of the main qualities of the property. The residents have a collection of paintings and prints that include works by Carybé, Poteiro, Leda Watson, and Burle Marx. These pieces were arranged on the wall behind the sofa, forming a kind of "affective gallery." In the intimate area, the first of the four suites, located near the social area, was transformed into an office. The bathroom was compartmentalized into two projects, integrated by the area of the soaking tub.