Leaf House, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

This project was inspired by Brazil's Indian architecture, perfectely suited for the hot and humid climate where it stands, Rio de Janeiro .The roof acts as a big leaf that protects from the hot sun all the enclosed spaces of the house, such as the verandas and the in-between open spaces. These last two types of space are the main social areas, the essence of the design. They allow trade winds from the sea to pass trough the building, providing natural ventilation and passive cooling.

The architects see this as low-tech ecoefficiency where it has the greatest impact; as the concept of the architectural design. Mareines +Patalano, in agreement with the client, understand the idea of a tropical beach house as a means of enhancing the interaction between man and nature, trying not to separate them completely.

There are no corridors and inside and outside are almost fused. Rain water is harvested from the roof for re-use. With its natural finishes, organic aesthetics and richness of details, the house is in harmony with the exuberant brazilian nature.