Casa Acqua Casa d'Abitatge by Cristina Menezes

Casa Acqua Casa d'Abitatge by Cristina Menezes is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2022 A' Design Award d'Argent in Arquitectura Competition Category.

ArgentArquitectura· 2022

Casa Acqua Casa d'Abitatge

by Cristina Menezes

Client: Cristina Menezes Arquitetura

A' Design Award d'Argent Winner in Arquitectura Category

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Verified Award Winner

Verify Award Status for #139984

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The Design

About Casa Acqua Casa d'Abitatge

Casa Acqua es una casa d'abitatge bastida a Belo Horizonte, al Brasil. La disposicion sèc los primièrs abitatges romans, amb quatre mòduls arrengats a l'entorn d'una cort intèrna. La cort es enrodada de miralhs d'aiga que rapèlan una font centrala. Totes los mòduls son complètament dobèrts per permetre la ventilacion naturala e la lutz del jorn, çò que fa que la climatizacion es pas necessària. De veles verticalas e de para-vents provesisson d'intimitat e de proteccion contra lo solelh, la pluèja, los insèctes e los vents fòrts. Los mòduls prefabricats an escorchit lo temps de construccion e reduch los rebuts. La superficia totala es de dos cents dètz mètres quadrats.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award d'Argent

Casa Acqua Casa d'Abitatge a ganhat la distincion A' Design Award d'Argent, una reconeissença extraordinàriament prestigiosa acordada a de designs d'ort de gamma, esplendids e impressionants. Los ganhaires de l'Argent son d'òbras terriblament brilhantas e extrèmament creativas que illustran l'experiéncia, lo talent e la finessa excepcionals de lors designers. S'espèra que Casa Acqua Casa d'Abitatge siá una òbra meravilhosa e de referéncia, notablament professionala e prigondament innovanta. Aqueste design ganhaire de la distincion A' Design Award d'Argent es una invencion fòrça notabla e admirada, que fa un ben e fa avançar las frontièras de l'art, de la sciéncia, del design e de la tecnologia. Casa Acqua Casa d'Abitatge es una creacion immensament envejada que desrevelha de desirs, aduch de sentiments positius e fa néisser l'estonament e l'esmaiment.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.

Unique Properties: Casa Acqua was created specifically for the demand action in Brazil, for this time that the world is living in! It provides inspiration and tools for anyone in Brazil or anywhere with dry tropical climate! For who is interested to live with heathly and on nature! A home with the precepts of sustainability is the unique and different guideline! The use of prefabricated modules reduced the impact of construction on nature; shortened construction time and cost!
Dimensions & Packaging: The total area of Casa Acqua is two hundred and ten square meters including the water mirrors.
Tags: tiny house, container house, water mirror, house , architecture innovation
Production Technology: The design was made with four pre-fabricated modules to build in a short time! The use of those modules allowed the use of synthetic coatings and sub-multiples of their measurements and this solution does not generate waste, with less impact on nature . Casa Acqua is fully open to provide full integration with the outdoor area.
Design Challenge: The key challenge was to find the right solution to close Casa Acqua without glass frames! The client asked for ventilation and natural lighting in its fullness with full integration with the outdoor area.
To have privacy and protection from the sun; from rain; from insects and strong winds, vertical windshield and awnings were used that seal 95%! With this solution Casa Acqua guaranteed the precepts of sustainability and of a healthy home, for days of pandemic, without air conditioning!
Research: Nowadays all architects comunities are trying to help the people to live better and heathly in their homes! Casa Acqua concept was created for this demand action in Brazil! It is too late to prevent the world from changing, but not late enough that all hope has been lost for a better world. Architecture is deeply involved in this process, as the transformation of the built environment and the construction industry are key to the way we live. Casa Acqua is a way to provide inspiration and tools for anyone in a country with dry tropical climate!
Inspiration: Casa Acqua was conceptualized in the same guidelines as the first Roman dwellings, those one had an O shaped floor plan with an inner courtyard allowing the visual integration of all spaces.
This typology was suitable for current times to Casa Acqua using four modules individualized with an inner courtyard, surrounded by water mirrors to symbolize the central fountain! All modules are fully open to ensure the use of ventilation and natural lighting. Vertical awnings were used for privacy.
Project Duration: The project started in May 2021 and the construction finished in September 2021 in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
Operation Flow: This project was created for a young couple to live, in times of a pandemic, in full contact with nature, full of light and natural ventilation, in Brazil!
Team Members: Jackie Kelly;
Isabella Gallegos;
Roberta Antunes.
Image Credits: Main Image: Photographer Jomar Bragança,2021
Image #1: Photographer Jomar Bragança,2021
Image #2: Photographer Jomar Bragança,2021
Image #3: Photographer Jomar Bragança,2021
Image #4: Photographer Jomar Bragança,2021
Vídeo: Estudio NY18,2021