The House of the Circular Terraces is part of a garden designed for the enjoyment of the Atlantic Forest. Located in a valley, the property doesn't offer a striking horizon. Instead, the landscape is the grand space defined by the canopy of trees.

Terraços Circulares House, Cotia SP, 2020. Architect Denis Joelsons
Foto/photo Rodrigo Fonseca

To work with the natural slope of the land and existing clearings, we established intermediate-level terraces. The house is organized on these plateaus, with shared spaces closer to the street and private areas closer to the property line, as depicted in its longitudinal section. The movement created by the floor plan ensures the spatial character of different areas within the house, with varying ceiling heights in relation to the horizontal roof.

Terraços Circulares House, Cotia SP, 2020. Architect Denis Joelsons
Foto/photo Pedro Kok

A suspended balcony covers the garage and mirrors the level of the bedrooms, a layout where the architecture echoes the geography of the valley. The house's geometry is orthogonal, compatible with its pre-fabricated wooden structure. The garden's geometry is established by curves, seeking the best structural form for retaining walls and proper integration with the trees. All rooms have at least two entrances, reaffirming the idea of a circular path.

Terraços Circulares House, Cotia SP, 2020. Architect Denis Joelsons
Foto/photo Pedro Kok

The formal containment of the house contrasts with the dynamic profile of the circular terraces, suggesting a reversal of the traditional subservient relationship between the base and the building. In this case, the regularity of the roof supports the variety of the floor plan's design.

Terraços Circulares House, Cotia SP, 2020. Architect Denis Joelsons
Foto/photo Pedro Kok

datasheet

project
Terraços Circulares House

site
Cotia SP

year
2020

architecture
Architect Denis Joelsons (author); João Marujo and Gabriela da Silva Pinto (collaborators)

wood structure
Ita Construtora

stone walls
Bizzarri Pedras

ceramic floor
Cerâmica Gail

civil works
Caio Martinez

photo
Pedro Kok and Rodrigo Fonseca (drone)

awards
APCA Awards 2022