The white house was designed by Oscar Niemeyer for his wife’s sister Carmen Baldo. In 2017, her children sold the building to artist Adriana Varejão, who decided to renovate and remodel it. Aware of the building’s value, the new owners invited the experienced design studio Siqueira Azul, who restored the building to its glory and made minor changes.
Oscar Niemeyer is famous for his modernist designs. However, the white house he designed in Rio de Janerio, Brazil, is not on the list of historic buildings, so it was possible to rebuild it. Fans of the architect’s work are reassured that the remodelling did not adversely affect the original design, but rather was limited to a renovation.
The building was designed in 1969. The villa consists of several parts and resembles a pile of white boxes stacked along the top of a hill. Its characteristic feature is the spiral staircase leading up to the highest part, which appears like an observation tower.
In the 1990s, the technical condition of the house left much to be desired. The ceramic steps and floors looked grim. The concrete balustrade was stained, the narrow driveway along the house leading to the garage was impossible to navigate, the lower rooms with bedrooms were dark and gloomy. So it was decided to renovate, which took a total of five years.
All of the three parts were connected by pathways, ensuring full integration. The outer walls were renovated and the upper courtyard is now well visible through a large circular window. The vertical path is defined by a spiral staircase, and the room at the top has gained large sliding glass panels.
The biggest change was to move the garage underground, which required the contractors to make a deep opening. A swimming pool was also built next to the building and the garden was enlarged. The expansion of the recreational area was possible because the investors decided to buy the plot next door.
photos: André Nazareth
design: Siqueira Azul
source: v2.com
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