Sagarana House, São Paulo Real Estate Renovation, Brazil, Brazilian Building Development, Architecture Photos

Sagarana House Conversion in São Paulo

19 September 2021

Design: Pedro Haruf Arquiteto and Cristiane Salles Arquitetura

Location: São Paulo, Brazil

Sagarana House São Paulo Brazil

Photos by Dentro Fotografia

Sagarana House, São Paulo

We were asked by clients to develop a project that segmented Sagarana House, so that the 60’s house would continue to serve as a residence, but which would house a commercial space, the idea was to create, in the client’s words, “A house of Yoga , of therapies, a place of urban retreat, a place of reception, of exchanges”.

Sagarana House São Paulo Brazil

Required for the conformation of the house, part of the facade, a cave and the street were the possible spaces for commerce and services, but we would have to provide it with a small area, access by an extensive side corridor and limited ceiling height. In addition, this division into two distinct spaces also generated the challenge of keeping the spaces large, with privacy, guaranteed lighting and natural resources for the residential part.

Sagarana House São Paulo Brazil

In a first phase, removing the work from the house, we transformed the façade of the original house into two, each with its own access and individual design, distinguishing and totally separating the two uses.

For the commercial part, we took advantage of the backyard to create a wooden pavilion that expanded the usable space by 100m². The conformation of this new building was also essential for the creation of a large yoga room, generous in both space and openings, characteristics that we would not have achieved in the existing building.

The search for an urban retreat environment guided the project in defining its materiality.
The use of ceramic, wood and bamboo tiles, combined with a landscaping project, make this space an oasis in the heart of the city. We also created a sensory corridor, all in blue epoxy paint, it’s a kind of portal, it marks the user’s entry into this world apart from the city, a place to disconnect from the outside world.

Sagarana House São Paulo Brazil

The sensory corridor strategy was also important to solve the long access corridor, we divided this corridor into two parts, the first being the blue corridor and the second the ramp that overcomes the uneven floors. In this second part, the tile, the wooden pergola and bamboo mat and the metallic support for climbing plants and vases integrate the space made the passage part of the environment.

We handle the openings to allow for privacy both in commercial and residential. In the commercial, the new pavilion received movable bamboo frames that allow controlling the visibility to the windows of the residential space. When the bamboo frames are closed, a linear zenith opening brings natural light into the yoga room.

Sagarana House São Paulo Brazil

In residential, bib below the windows will filter what is seen with plant growth. A small patio was designed to increase the amount of light and ventilation entering the house, and on the front façade, we increased the opening with a large translucent glass door.

What are the sustainability features?
The choice of materiality for the project is also based on an idea of sustainability, traditional materials and techniques, such as the construction of certified wood, the use of ceramic tiles made near the city of Belo Horizonte, and the use of bamboo that comes from a research project in bioconstruction and ecodesign. Prioritization of natural ventilation and lighting.

Sagarana House São Paulo Brazil

Key products used:
All over the commercial floor, we use Altivo ceramic tiles, creating unity. In addition, wood (Paraju) was used in the structure of the pavilion and bamboo was used as a closure and as a mat in the ceilings.

What building methods were used?
In addition to the traditional techniques in masonry construction, common in Brazil, a new all-wood pavilion was built. The pavilion was manufactured in a company in the city and assembled on site.

Sagarana House São Paulo Brazil

How is the project unique?
The project managed to create a space in a central area of the city that can transport those who enter to a haven of peace and tranquility. This was done with the preservation of elements of the original architecture and with the use of natural and low-cost materials (tile, wood and bamboo).

Sagarana House São Paulo Brazil

What was the brief?
The project’s brief was to separate the uses that coexisted in the home, residence and space for yoga classes and also to create a commercial space that could produce income for the resident.

Who are the clients and what’s interesting about them?
The client is a yoga teacher who lives in an old family home. She wanted to create a space to welcome women, and she does this through yoga, meditation, massage, psychotherapy and other alternative therapies.

What were the key challenges?
The main challenge was to reorganize the existing spaces and create more spaces that could be rented together or separately.
Due to the conformation of the house, part of the facade, the basement and the backyard were the possible spaces for commerce and services, but with little area, access by an extensive side corridor and ceiling height limitation.

On the residential side, the challenge was to keep the spaces large, with privacy, and without prejudice to natural lighting and ventilation.

Contemporary São Paulo home design in Brazil

What were the solutions?
To separate the uses in the house, we delimited the spaces and created two facades and two distinct accesses, enabling independent functionalities.
We used the backyard to create a wooden and bamboo pavilion that expanded the leasable space by 100m², we extended the wood and straw roof throughout the access corridor, making it part of the atmosphere. We also created a blue portal, to demarcate the entrance to this place, transporting the visitor from the chaotic city to a place of tranquility.

São Paulo home design by Pedro Haruf Arquiteto and Cristiane Salles Arquitetura Brazil

In the customer’s words
“Casa Sagarana is a place that has been in our family’s memory since 1987: we already lived in it during my childhood. It has already been rented for commercial purposes. It was co-working, it was a bridal shop! In the heart of São Pedro, on a silent and tree-lined street, it almost became a 6-story building.

It was at the beginning of the pandemic that the universe guided us and showed that the path was to be something beyond a building, beyond a commercial house. At that same address, as a resident, I was already developing my mini Yoga and meditation studio.
With such a special and welcoming vibe that the house has always emanated, it was with my family that I heard the call to make this house a multifaceted space.

The concept was already an old dream.
We invited the architects and we fell in love with the project. A house of Yoga, therapies, a place for an urban retreat, a place of welcome, exchanges.”

Camila Barcelos

Contemporary São Paulo residence design Sagarana House São Paulo Brazil

Sagarana House in São Paulo, Brazil – Building Information

Architecture: Pedro Haruf Arquiteto and Cristiane Salles Arquitetura – see https://pedroharuf.com + https://www.cristianesalles.com

Project size: 360 sqm
Site size: 360 sqm
Completion date: 2021
Building levels: 2

Sagarana House São Paulo Brazil Sagarana House São Paulo Brazil

Photos: Dentro Fotografia

Sagarana House Conversion, São Paulo, Brazil images / information received 190921

Location: São Paulo, Brasil, South America

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