Angra House | Studio Arthur Casas

By the sea, an architecture combining large openings, raw stones, and mashrabiyas interacts with the surrounding materials to establish full integration with the nature of Angra dos Reis, in Rio de Janeiro.

Casa Angra is a renovation project of a summer residence for clients who now reside in an apartment with interiors also designed by Studio Arthur Casas. The aim was to adapt the house to the needs of a family—a couple with two children—who found the original architecture by Fernando Peixoto incompatible with their current needs.

From the start, the intention was to rethink the existing structure, preserving the integrity of the original volume while making modifications to the facades to maximize views of the ocean and Ilha Grande, a local landmark. Inside, the focus was on creating a greater connection and flow between social areas, as the clients enjoy hosting family and friends, and highlighting the landscape in every possible space. Where this wasn't feasible, solutions like existing raw rocks, internal gardens, skylights, and pergolas were used to reiterate integration with nature, from natural light to greenery. This approach ensures an immersive user experience, with textures to feel, perspectives to observe, and pathways to navigate.

The main access is via water. From the pier to the house, a path defined by landscaping proposed by botanist Ricardo Cardim features native species to blend seamlessly with the local Atlantic Forest vegetation. The same initiative applies to the internal gardens, bringing a touch of native forest indoors.

The architectural program is distributed over five split levels, accommodating the extensive program without occupying a large area of the land. On the entry level, there are the pool, gourmet space, external terrace, wine cellar, and three guest suites. Half a floor below are the gym, game room, sauna, and massage room. The basement houses a professional cinema with automation and high-performance speakers, which required a complex excavation process, structural reinforcement, and robust retaining walls due to the proximity to the sea and water table.

On the upper floor, social, private, and functional areas are distributed throughout the layout. The social area includes the living room, dining room, and an outdoor terrace for al fresco dining. The private area features the master suite with a home office space and the children's suites. The functional area includes the kitchen, laundry room, and part of the staff quarters, which are also complemented by an intermediate floor. Finally, on the highest level of the house, there is access via the condominium with a garage for cars. Solar energy with photovoltaic panels allows for more sustainable water heating.

On the facade, rough stones sourced from the region play a crucial role in establishing a dialogue with the rocky hillside. The stones of varying sizes and tones are arranged horizontally and set with mortar. Wood also plays a significant role in the materiality of the house: on the facade with decks, roofing, and mashrabiyas (made of Accoya, providing both privacy and visibility for the rooms); and internally in the flooring of the private area, panels, and carpentry. In the rest of the flooring, a porcelain model developed by the Studio for the Italian manufacturer Refin is used. Large glass panes allow natural light to enter and provide visual permeability. Finally, the traditional ceramic tile roof, a feature of the original project, combined with the straw ceiling, creates a harmonious contrast with the contemporary look of the building.

In the interior design, Arthur and his team had great autonomy in selecting pieces. In an attempt to blend external and internal materials, they chose crafts and artworks by renowned Brazilian artisans, such as the Apostle Head by Mestre Nicola, placed in the hall, and materials like wood, ceramics, and straw to complement the designer furniture.

Contemporary international pieces (like the Orlando sofa and Rams chaise by Paola Lenti in the pool area, and the Flair’o chair by B&B Italia in the gourmet space) and national pieces (like the NR02 coffee table by Lucas Recchia and the Vidigal armchairs by Lattoog in the gourmet living area) are combined with iconic classics (like the Zeca Chair by Jorge Zalszupin at the dining table) and even pieces designed by Arthur himself: the Apache table, Ayahuasca sideboard, Vieira Souto coffee table, and the Quilombo and Lurdes desks.