Apartment in Flamengo / Estúdio Guanabara

Architects: Estúdio Guanabara
Location: Flamengo, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Structure: Adriano Monteiro
Area: 190.0 m2
Project Year: 2016
Photographs: Flávia Palazzo

Text description provided by the architects. The Flamengo penthouse was developed to adapt the facilities according to the family’s wishes by creating comfortable and broad environments. The old apartment had a very fragmented floor plant composed by a separated kitchen and small bathrooms with little to no illumination and natural ventilation.

The proposition consisted on the opening of the living room to the exterior area, as well as the integration of the kitchen and the living room. By doing so, the previously separated rooms composed an unique environment, united by the same pattern of flooring.

With the demolition of the wall that divided the living room and the exterior area, an estructural reinforcement was built and can be seen as a transformation in the same space. The framed sliding doors retract to the corners of the living room and allow the opening of a big gap.

To balance with the materiality of the porcelain tile, the metallic structure, the aluminum frames and to create a more cozy environment, they used wood in the lath of the cup holders in the varanda as well as in the closets and the wooden desk of the kitchen. The interventions allowed the space to adjust to the demands of the residents: more welcoming to family and friends.