Fusion of Indoors, Outdoors Creates a Luxurious Home in Saõ Paulo

Despite sitting in a residential area of São Paulo, Brazil, the Ibsen House is an oasis of private luxury. Hidden by greenery and strategic slatted wood panels that blend with the cladding of the angular home, the structure allows the residents to revel in the outdoor spaces with complete discretion.

Designed by Matheus Farah + Manoel Maia Arquitetura, this home is distinctive in many ways, but from a construction standpoint, the fact that it is almost entirely devoid of fixed walls is the most striking. This creates a range of wide-open, flexible spaces that can be used for a variety of functions. Most can be divided by large sliding panels that not only define various spaces but also create privacy when needed. The spaces are ideal for entertaining but also for relaxing amid the vertical garden walls and outdoor areas.

The architects used the pool as the central focus for the design of the outdoor spaces as well as the orientation of the indoor areas. As the main focus of the property, you can see the pool from nearly every room of the house, which visually fuses it with the interior of the home. In fact, it is part of the interior because the large panels slide open on both sides of the main living area, totally opening up the view.

The ground floor area is dominated by the pool, next to which there is a solarium. Furnished with comfortable chaises for relaxing and lounging, the outdoor living space is surrounded by the tropical gardens that encircle the pool and travel vertically up the sides of the property.

Behind the solarium is the main part of the house that comprises the living and dining areas. These can be seamlessly joined by opening up the entirety of the wall, which runs along horizontal tracks, allowing the breeze to flow through the space and bring in a flood of natural light.

The master suite is strategically located overlooking the pool with an expansive view through the massive floor-to-ceiling window. The bedroom almost seems to be suspended over the pool area like a separate deck, inset into the vertical garden wall. When privacy is desired, a wide slatted wood panel slides in front of the window, closing off the space but still allowing light to filter through. These slats also blend with the cladding on the house, melding into what looks like a continuous unbroken wall.

The main section of the house also houses the home office, which overlooks the living area from the upper level. Just as with the bedroom, slatted wood panels can slide closed, providing privacy to the office while still letting light filter through. When open, the office can join fully with the main interior space.

The lower level of the home also includes an entertainment area called the Red Room. Equipped with special lighting and acoustics, it is was designed to be an ideal atmosphere for parties and dancing. Red neon lights create a distinctive atmosphere unlike any other part of the home. The space includes a lighted bar that helps give it a real club vibe. The lower floor also features a fitness room and a large garage.

The rooftop of this home is more than just a green space: It actually adds more living and recreation space to the property and provides a wonderful view of the neighborhood. The rooftop includes a jacuzzi, seating area with chaises, and dining table. This terrace also overlooks the pool and connects with a large solarium that sits above the master suite section of the house and includes a marvelous kitchen for entertaining on this level. There are also guest rooms and other private rooms, all of which have windows that open to the pool area.