bloco arquitetos’ 350 house unfolds as translucent, crosswise volumes in brazil

prefabricated 350 house by bloco arquitetos

Sited in Brasília, 350 House by Bloco Arquitetos began with the demand for a dwelling that could be built in the shortest possible time, basing all modulation, finishing options, and choice of structural materials on such a premise. With these conditions in mind, the studio eventually opted for a metal structure, paired with wooden ceilings and floors on the first floor, which were assembled and/or built by a local labor force. ‘In this way, the 350 House project combines a mostly prefabricated construction with small sections built by hand,’ explains the architectural team. 

superimposed metal volumes with motorized blinds

Bloco Arquitetos (see more here) organized the program at 350 House across two perpendicularly superimposed volumes with a regular 350x350cm grid, placing the pillars on the perimeter of the internal spaces and around its vertical circulation. The social and service area occupies the first floor, with its two largest sides facing north and south where the swimming pool is located. Meanwhile, the upper volume houses the bedrooms, with all their openings facing the rising sun. Two sections with seven-meter-long overhangs at each end of the upper levels create covered areas on the first floor, serving as extensions to the balconies, social area and/or car shelter. Motorized, retractable and translucent awnings have been positioned over all the open spans, controlling the amount of natural light penetrating the spaces and offering residents the options to adjust their desired privacy. 

combining metal, concrete, wood, and aluminum

Material-wise, Bloco Arquitetos opted for cast-in-place concrete floors on the first level and clad the upper level in steel deck slabs, creating a steady visual contrast throughout the dwelling’s interior design. Moroever, a dry-wall system makes up the internal surfaces, while the perimeter walls around the 350 house comprise ordinary masonry. The blind gables lacking protective eaves were clad in aluminum composite sheets, as were the external ceilings. The rest of the external walls are finished in plaster and paint.

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project info:

name: 350 House

location: Brasília, Brazil

architecture studio: Bloco Arquitetos | @bloco_arq
lead architect: Daniel Mangabeira, Henrique Coutinho, Matheus Seco
coordination: Giovanni Cristofaro
team: Giovanni Cristofaro and Victor MachadoStructural

design: Vista Engenharia
lighting: Dessine
construction: Grid Engenharia
joinery: Vírgula Zero
furniture: Acervo Mobília
artwork: Index Gallery
window frames: Raveli Esquadrias
photographer: Haruo Mikami

built area: 500 sqm 
project: 2020
construction: 2021-2022