Rooftop Infinity Pool

A swimming pool on the roof of this concrete residence of the Brazilian office studio MK27 is located in the dense canopy of a coastal rainforest in the state of São Paulo. The introduction of this house into this landscape aims to optimize the connection between architecture and nature, to privilege the view of the sea and the penetration of sunlight into the interior spaces. In order to take full advantage of the picturesque landscape, the architects placed the primary living spaces next to the pool on the top floor of the building.

The raw concrete and wooden structure of the building remains exposed in the interiors, which are furnished with furniture in neutral colors in various textures. The bedrooms are in the main volume of the house – a planked concrete block raised above a wooden deck, but one end resting on a rocky step in the grounds. The large wooden deck, sheltered under the body of the house, provides a shaded play area for the family’s children, and a small block of wood to one side houses an indoor play room and utility rooms. In the stairwell, the structured concrete walls are illuminated by a work of art by the Danish-Icelandic artist Olafur Eliasson. A TV room is at the top of the stairs in the middle of the band, while six bedrooms with corresponding balconies face the forest. The balconies accommodate hammocks and are protected from the sun by slatted flaps.

The top floor – a glass box with an overhanging roof – houses the kitchen, dining room and living room. It is surrounded by a terrace with a pool on one side and a small circular hot tub on the other. The pool is partially submerged in the ground but has a raised rim that brings it slightly above the bottom of the deck. Glass balustrades frame the space and allow swimmers to enjoy the view.

This last floor offers a spatial sensation that sums up the principles of the house: on one side there is a terrace where the jacuzzi and sauna are located – where there is an intense relationship between the architecture and the mountain and its vegetation. On the other side a floor fireplace and the pool; In the middle – between these two open spaces – is the living room with cross ventilation, which is open on both sides.