Arthur Casas’ Pacaembu House wins Best Urban Bolthole in Wallpaper* Design Awards 2024

Escaping the hustle and bustle of São Paulo for the weekend is a way of life in the Brazilian megalopolis, not just for the wealthy, but for a large portion of the middle-class too, as many regularly make the two- or three-hour trek to second homes in the rolling countryside outside of the city or on the stunning beaches of the Litoral Paulista. But for Brazilian architect Arthur Casas’ latest project, Pacaembu House, the client wanted something very different. 

‘I only want one house. Not two. I’m not driving anywhere for the weekend. I want to stay home and host all of my kids and our friends here, together, but with plenty of different spaces for the individual groups among us to gather. I want a house that is a home for all of us,’ the client told Casas. The latter’s response? ‘It was an interesting challenge, not just because of the brief. The site is complicated. It is located on a hillside, dropping seven metres from top to bottom, but that allowed us to do something special. We were able to create a real sanctuary with amazing views.’ 

Pacaembu House: a primary residence designed as an escape

The entrance to Pacaembu House sits on a charming cul-du-sac in its namesake neighbourhood, set back from a tall perimeter wall, itself elegantly executed, accented with rebar and climbing trepadeira vines that are seemingly requisite in the city. The wall yields just a hint of the architecture behind, and inside, a lush entry garden offers a preview of Luiz Carlos Orsini’s stunning tropical landscaping to come. 

The entrance foyer, flush with natural light from a skylight above, sits at the landing of two staircases – one leading upstairs to bedrooms and an apartment suite, and the other heading downstairs to much more. Here, it becomes clear that the home spills elegantly downhill, unfolding over its terraced site with a single, monolithic, large volume perched above. In this small reception area, an expansive plate-glass wall showcases an interior garden that runs the length of the stairwell and is accessible from the living room. A geometric steel and glass sculpture by artist Tulio Pinto, sitting in beautiful juxtaposition to the organic shapes of the flora, is the centrepiece of this lush vignette, one of many on the property.

The home’s large, voluminous, loft-style living area is a masterclass in bringing a neutral, tonal scheme to life with tactile and visual texture, incorporating marble, natural linen, leather, suede, bouclé cotton, and wool. The poured-in-place concrete walls are built using forms custom designed by Casas to ‘leave an impression’ – and that, they do. When warmly up-lit, they look like a work of art. The sitting area features a collection of classic and contemporary pieces by famous Brazilian designers, Arthur Casas included – think, Sergio Rodrigues’ ‘Tonico’ lounge chairs, ‘Quebra Galho’ armchairs by Marcelo Magalhães, Casas’ ‘Fusca’ sofas, and four massive ‘Tiles AM’ coffee tables. 

A secondary, more intimate sitting area provides separation from another staircase and the formal dining room on the other side. This, smaller, living space is situated between a long, low console made of brown marble, built into one of the house’s columns and an integrated curio cabinet featuring a propane fireplace. Here, sits a Steinway piano, another ‘Fusca’ sofa and a pair of ‘Poltrona F’ chairs by Zanine Caldas, opposite Casas’ nesting ‘Arquipelago’ coffee tables. Underpinning it all is a Nani Chinellato rug so expansive that it had to be assembled on-site from multiple pieces weighing two tons in total.

The dining room furnishings are all by Casas, featuring the ‘Amorpha Jumbo’ dining table and 12 ‘Max’ dining chairs, which ground the ‘Amorpha’ chandelier that casts light upward to the ceiling clad in European white oak. Telescoping glass doors create a permeable boundary between the living space and the main terrace outside, a luxury afforded by the pleasant sub-tropical climate of the region. 

The sheltered outdoor terrace is configured for hosting multiple groups at the same time. The outdoor kitchen is well-equipped for cooking and entertaining, adjacent to several different living areas, all conceived for dining and lounging by the various factions of the family and their friends. These are accented by another vignette of tropical plants integrated into the terrace. Just beyond this leafy patch is a large, state-of-the-art gym, a massage room, two saunas, and a dedicated kids’ play area.

Only when looking back from the rear garden lawn, beyond the stunning swimming pool, does one get a full perspective on the house, with its wide, horizontal poured-in-place concrete box perched delicately above the main terrace on lateral retaining walls. The façade’s dramatic wooden shutters make a modern design statement and also serve the sleeping areas within, adjusting automatically with the movement of the sun to ensure maximum comfort and energy efficiency. They eventually close to create a shear wood-clad wall contrasting the large glass window that shares the facade in perfect proportion. 

This top volume features its own landscaped rooftop garden and sitting area above, but still, the house doesn’t appear as large as its expansive 1,500 sq m really is. Much of its overall area is nestled within the hill, making room for additional amenities like a music room, a hair salon, a wine cellar, an eight-car garage, and various service areas. The elevator, the main kitchen and other support facilities, including staff quarters, are also encompassed into the site and discreetly tucked away behind operable wall panels, always out of sight. Everything feels bright, illuminated by a well-conceived collection of light wells, skylights, and even glass flooring within the pool, adding drama to the spaces below. 

In the opposite direction, descending a charming outdoor stairway framed by more leafy foliage, an al fresco sitting area unfolds. It features an outdoor fireplace ringed with ‘Asturias’ lounge chairs by Brazilian designer Carlos Motta, native trees and plants, and a koi pond. Behind it, another terrace, situated under the pool deck, features one more outdoor kitchen and bar composition, alongside dining and lounge sections wrapped in integrated greenery. A bonus, standalone bedroom suite with a semi-private patio beyond provides yet another area for relaxation - all within the confines of the rough stone perimeter walls. 

Despite the project’s deceptively large scale, Pacaembu House is very much a warm home. Here, daily life feels like a holiday for the owners, their family and friends – and it doesn't require a commute through traffic. Together with Casas, they may have started a new lifestyle trend.

arthurcasas.com 

A version of this article appears in the February 2024 issue of Wallpaper* – dedicated to the Wallpaper* Design Awards 2024 – available in print from 4 January, on the Wallpaper* app on Apple iOS, and to subscribers of Apple News +. Subscribe to Wallpaper* today