Two architects in São Paulo pool their resources to purchase one piece of land, build two houses, and save 15 percent on their overall costs. The catch? They can never leave the office too far behind, as they are now living next door to each other.
Great creativity is often borne of limited resources. Luiz Felipe Andrade and Philip Scroback, two São Paulian architects in need of affordable urban housing, leapt on the chance to buy a piece of land they noticed was for sale near their office. Using the same building material (reinforced concrete) for both houses, they benefited from an economy of scale and still managed to create two individual houses that are highly distinctive in their personalities—architectural genius at its best.
Photography by Evelyn Müller via FiftyLimited.
Above: Architects Luiz Felipe Andrade (L) and Philip Scroback (R) sit on the concrete stairs of their respective houses.
Above: Andrade, whose house measures 2,000 square feet, uses soft furnishings and a Persian carpet to soften the feel of the reinforced concrete walls and shelves.
Above: The climate in Sao Paulo allows the courtyard garden to become an extension of both the living and dining areas, ensuring constant natural ventilation and lighting.
Above: Andrade uses a wall of colored concrete (hydraulic) tiles to bring color into his kitchen.
Above: A concrete counter serves as a bar in the courtyard garden on the other side of the dining room.
Above: Keith Haring-like figures dance up the stairs adding a light hearted touch to the simple interiors.
Above: Scroback, whose house is smaller at 1400 sf, takes a more spare but equally strong approach to the use of color. The colored cement stairs become a sculptural feature in his house.
Above: A keen chef, Scroback chose to integrate his kitchen into the living area.
Above: Both sides of the house benefit from floor to ceiling glazing, again ensuring constant natural ventilation and lighting.
Above: Exposed electrical pipes run behind the kitchen cabinets.
Above: A concrete ledge becomes an impromptu bookshelf.
Above: In his garden, Scroback layers large square pavers on a bed of gravel. To get the same look, see "Design Sleuth: Pavers and Gravel."
N.B. Inspired by concrete as a building material, see 468 images of Concrete in our Gallery of rooms and spaces.