Gold Architecture, Building and Structure Design · 2024
Panoramic House
- A' Design Award 2024 Gold Winner in Architecture, Building and Structure Design
- Awarded April 15, 2024
- CLIENT: Schuchovski Arquitetua
- Estimated Number of Design Views: 101,783
- Verification code 9264FC4A44 · Verify this award
About Panoramic House
Panoramic House was designed for a family in search of a new lifestyle in the seaside. An atmosphere of belonging and identity, a panoramic view of the sea, elements of Brazilianness and an ecofriendly construction were some of the premises of the project. The building was camouflaged, in order to enhance the landscapes, through a contemporary architecture of pure elements and horizontal lines enriched by prominent points. Through parametricism, they carry originality and authenticity.
Eliza Schuchovski's Panoramic House stands as a compelling exploration of the relationship between built form and natural topography, embodying the contemporary architectural ambition to create dwellings that respond meaningfully to their specific sites while achieving formal distinction through material and structural expression. The work emerges from traditions of hillside residential architecture that have long grappled with the creative opportunities presented by sloped terrain, transforming apparent constraints into spatial and experiential advantages. The architect appears to have embraced the cantilever as both structural solution and expressive gesture, projecting the upper living volume outward to capture expansive views while creating sheltered space beneath and articulating a dynamic dialogue between mass and void, weight and apparent weightlessness. The material palette demonstrates sophisticated understanding of how surfaces age, weather, and interact with changing light conditions: the warm wood cladding will develop patina over time, its tones deepening and silvering according to exposure, while the stone maintains more stable chromatic character, grounding the composition with geological permanence. The fenestration strategy reveals careful consideration of prospect and refuge, with generous horizontal glazing offering panoramic connection to the landscape while solid walls and deep overhangs provide shelter and thermal regulation. The twilight capture proves particularly revealing, as the transition from natural to artificial light transforms the dwelling from sculptural object to inhabited shelter, warm interior glow suggesting domestic comfort within the bold geometric envelope. Viewers might contemplate how architecture mediates between human desire for shelter and prospect, between the impulse to occupy landscape boldly and the wisdom of responding sensitively to environmental conditions that long preceded any human intervention.
Press Kit
- Unique Properties
- An architecture conceived through parametricism, designed to meet the specific needs of its residents and developed from a detailed study of the terrain, stands out for its unique volumetrics, where the cantilevers and angles generated enhance the views of the surroundings. The appeal for sustainability of this building becomes one of its differentials, with solutions to improve its energy performance and use as few resources as possible.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- The structural system of the house follows the most common pattern in Brazilian civil construction, with concrete slabs and beams, and masonry walls, but with some distinctive features. The design includes large spans and cantilevers, leading to the adoption of prestressed slabs that allow for spacious gaps between pillars, thus enabling wide openings. The swimming pool located at the edge of the property posed the biggest structural challenge, implemented as a separate system, divided by an expansion joint.
- Tags
- house, panoramic, beach house, panoramic house, brazilian architecture, schuchovski arquitetura
- Production Technology
- To bring a Brazilian touch to the project, the choice of materials played a crucial role. Natural elements, textures, and colors were selected to enhance the project's main features: integration with nature, utilization of scenic views, and technological innovation. Brazilian identity can be defined as the appreciation of our origins and diversity. In architecture, it manifests as a project that strives to meet the needs of its owners by blending their lifestyles and ways of thinking.
- Design Challenge
- The careful integration of delicate architecture resulted in a layout that met the challenges of the extremely rugged topography and the sharp angle at the corner where the two sides of the plot converge. This was achieved through impactful architecture, precisely at the highest visual point of the site, providing a beautiful panoramic view.
- Project Duration
- The remarkable project, which took a total of 3 and a half years from its conception to completion, emerges amidst the preserved landscape of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. The site for the Panoramic House is situated in a condominium on Brava Beach in Itajaí, in the state of Santa Catarina, in the southern region of Brazil.
- Operation Flow
- We divided the program into three main areas: Social, Intimate, and Service. These independent sectors are connected through the mezzanine, which serves as the main stage for the large sculpture of the spiral staircase in the central core of the house. The spacious living areas, seamlessly integrated with each other and the surroundings, provide a sense of warmth and well-being, thanks to their enchanting and varied views: the beach, the preserved forest, and the cityscape in the background.
- Research
- The clients wished to materialize their dream of a spacious house, with living areas that could serve as a backdrop for moments with family and friends. The desire for a home that reflected the Brazilian essence and enhanced the primary views of the landscape resulted in a project where parametricism between lines and pure forms takes center stage.
- Inspiration
- Amidst the Atlantic Forest and facing the sea lies the terrain of this project, serving as inspiration for the creation of architecture that aimed to enhance family relationships, foster a connection with nature, and take advantage of panoramic views of the sea. One of the standout features is the dramatic triangular cantilevers: the pool strategically positioned in
response to the challenge of occupying the tip of the terrain, and the volume housing the main suite of the residence. - Image Credits
- Image #1: Eduardo Macarios, Panoramic House, 2020
Image #2: Eduardo Macarios, Panoramic House, 2020
Image #3: Eduardo Macarios, Panoramic House, 2020
Image #4: Eduardo Macarios, Panoramic House, 2020
Image #5: Eduardo Macarios, Panoramic House, 2020
Video #5: Hoek Studio, Panoramic House, 2020