Casa Dante | BLOCO Arquitetos

The move from an apartment to a new house that could accommodate the entire family, including its newest member who had just been born, was the premise for the “Dante House” project, designed by the architecture firm BLOCO Arquitetos. Located in a neighborhood called Lago Sul, in Brasília - Brazil, the house was the first completed construction in a new condominium near one of the main bridges providing access to the city center.

Architects and clients worked together in the process of selecting the plot, which is situated on the last lot of the street. Its privileged location, with no neighboring lot to the north, was a key factor in its selection and in the subsequent positioning of the house.

The original gentle slope of the plot guided the placement of the house at its "mid" level. This allowed most of the interior spaces to be on a single level, connected to the street via a ramp. As a result, the house is "elevated" on one side of the lot and semi-buried on the other.

The house is a single-story structure with an "L"-shaped floor plan, providing full accessibility throughout all interior spaces, as requested by the residents who have young children. This layout created a sort of courtyard facing the "neighbor-free" side, where there is a vegetated area belonging to the condominium. The courtyard consists of a large lawn with fruit trees and a pool, becoming a space where the children can play outdoors, close to nature.

Another wish of the family was for the house to be built using natural materials, such as stone and wood. At the architects' suggestion, exposed concrete was added to this combination of materials.

The exposed concrete roof, composed of a series of parallel beams that form the structural framework, supports slabs at different levels over the social and service areas, allowing openings for natural light and ventilation.

Each room was designed according to the needs of the family, who are passionate about art, design, and architecture. While the children wanted hammocks on the balcony of each bedroom—all facing the large courtyard, just like the living room—the couple desired a sauna and a wine cellar, which were included in the project.

The integration of spaces was a priority to maintain the daily routine and connection among the residents. A large concrete table that starts in the kitchen became the main feature of the living area, combining the functions of dining table, study table for the children, and kitchen counter into a single piece.

Access to the bedrooms is through a corridor beneath a large skylight—a space without windows that still receives natural overhead (zenithal) lighting, like other areas of the house.

The landscaping prioritized native plants from the region and other species with low water requirements that easily adapt to the cerrado biome.

Architecture: BLOCO Arquitetos – Daniel Mangabeira, Henrique Coutinho, and Matheus Seco 

Coordination: Julia Huff 

Collaboration: Pedro Souza 

Concrete Structures: André Torres 

Lighting: Light Design 

Construction: Grid Engenharia 

Photography: Joana França (https://www.instagram.com/joanafranca/)