THE WATER TRAPEZE GARDEN
Bragança Paulista, Brazil
by Isabel Duprat
The plot of land is located in a gated community in São Paulo's state countryside, with a 5300-square-meter outdoor area, and it sprawls itself onto a 13-meter downslope, meeting a protected forest area at two of its borders. This provides a singular position to the land, but on the other hand makes its occupation more difficult.
Aiming at conquering the entire plot and making full and simultaneous use of the various spaces, I detached the swimming pool, which was supposed to be sitting next to the house according to the project created by Gui Mattos' architecture office, I drew a water trapeze next to the woods, with a patio, stone benches and trees so as to appease this area's intense heat. The client wanted a pool that would give her the real feeling of being in the countryside, less urban. I think that this new position has met this desire.
The sauna, which at first was awkwardly located inside the house, was granted a new place with a generous rest area enveloped by a reserved garden, taking advantage of the pool's new location. To integrate house and pool in a manner that would provide a pleasant and mild stroll, levels contained by walls built with stones found on the ground itself were created.
The implementation quota was defined to be friendly placed with its surroundings, considering the existing harmonious relationship encompassing the adjacent buildings, the pool and the woods, which was extended along the borders through an increment in the planting.
Thorough ground design work was done to accommodate the large unevenness and to promote circulation between the building blocks, their openings and the main access. Major masses of bushes, foliage dotted with trees and palms were created to sweeten the accentuated topography.
A mirror with a delicate water sound, referring to the trapezoidal shape of the pool, tears through the pebble floor next to the dining room, welcoming the two gardens that greet us upon arrival.
Intervention area 4000 m²
Project and execution 2012 a 2015
