Photos: Leonardo Finotti / Disclosure
Finding solutions for housing can be very challenging, especially when we think of low budget and angular land, typical in Brazilian favelas. But that wasn’t a problem for the architects of the LEVANTE collective, quite the contrary: it was inspiration! This is how the Casa no Pomar do Cafezal project emerged, winner of the international “House of the Year” award by ArchDaily.
Kdu dos Anjos, manager of the Lá da Favelinha cultural center and owner of the award-winning house, prefers to call it by the affectionate nickname of “my shack”. Built in 2020 and located in the largest favela in the state of Minas Gerais, in Aglomerado da Serra in Belo Horizonte, it has only 70m2 and its structure has two structural modules of 3x3m, on two levels, flanked by a “pull” leaning once morest the border, as reported by the LEVANTE collective.
To guarantee better thermal inertia to the house, that is, to guarantee a more pleasant temperature inside, the 8-hole block was laid horizontally, with its frilled face in prominence. This also allowed it to be used as a cobogó in some situations and even combined with concrete blocks.
The architects also focused on comprehensive natural ventilation and lighting, exposed brickwork as typical of buildings in the area, and also paid due attention to the care of the flow of rainwater and its absorption into the terrain.
“We use what is commonplace in the house, but with extra qualities that can be copied — yes, copied — by the neighbors.” (Fernando Maculan, architect)
This is the second time that a house located in a favela has been selected for the competition. The first time took place in 2016, with the Casa Vila Matilde award signed by Terra e Tuma Arquitetos. Like Casa no Pomar do Cafezal, it was also decided to use exposed blocks due to their agility and low cost.
Another four projects reached the final with Casa de Kdu dos Anjos. The houses Labri House (Vietnam), Casa Terracota (Mexico), Casa de Vidro (Germany) and Mirai House (India) also faced the dispute, with the Brazilian being the great victor!
Casa no Pomar do Cafezal is the second project by the LEVANTE collective to be completed, and was led by Fernando Maculan, Joana César Magalhães, with the collaboration of Cássio Lopes and Ricardo Lobato.
“The house project represents a constructive ‘model’ that uses materials typical of the periphery, with an adequate implantation and attention to lighting and ventilation, resulting in a space with great environmental quality” (LEVANTE collective to ArchDaily)
