Entertainment

Art Deco village house converted into office | Open House with Carol Miluzzi

2023-07-18 20:00:43

Photos: Andre Mortatti / Disclosure

It may seem unlikely to find a village in the middle of São Paulo full of trees, calm, cobbled streets and next to large urban roads. Improbable, but real! This is the scenario that houses the office of architect Carol Miluzzi and Willian Vasconcelos, who also describe the property as “rarity” in the Higienópolis neighborhood.

The old facades, untouched by time, carry with them a historic and charming touch, which dates back to the years of 1927 when Art Deco was on the rise in architecture. Although the interior of the house has gained a modern and elegant air, undergoing a makeover to house its new office function, many original aspects have been preserved and maintained.

The staircase, for example, is original, as are the various details on the ceilings, door frames, furniture and walls. Others were incorporated, such as the Maralunga sofa in the living room and the countless objects found (and which Carol gives a hint on where to find them in the full video!). In the end, the composition is harmonic and charming, creating the atmosphere of a timeless home so hard to achieve.

For these reasons, it’s really worth checking out the channel’s newest Open House! A complete tour of the village house turned into an office gives valuable tips on materials, coatings, where to find furniture and much more. As a bonus, we also visit the neighboring house, also turned into an office by Bruno Reis and Helena Kallas, from Mandril Arquitetura e Design.

Press PLAY to see the full video!

Valentina’s House: Where is the office?

Carol Miluzzi: The house we chose to be our office is in a villa in Higienópolis built in 1927, the period when Art Déco arrived in Brazil.

CV: What stands out regarding this house in particular?

Carol Miluzzi: Although there is a pattern between the houses, each one has a particularity. In the case of ours, there was a large backyard, which had already been covered when we entered the house. With high ceilings and apparent roof structures, our main work area is located there. All the rest of the house we would like it to feel like a real home since we spend most of our days there.

CV: What were the main changes you made to transform the house into an office?

Carol Miluzzi: On the upper floor, we chose to have 2 very cozy rooms that house a Maralunga sofa (design icon) and a table that we designed. The space is used by the team and also by us when we want to receive friends, in addition to work meetings. We also created a pantry where we prepare our daily coffee as well as our meals.

An interesting curiosity is that the chairs chosen for the living room, the Cesca chair, were created during the same period of construction of the house, when Marcel Breuer attended classes at the BAUHAUS. But that’s another story. What I want to emphasize here is how much we value the design and memory of the house. In the renovation, we respected and emphasized the original elements such as the wooden staircase, the brick walls. Ceiling and walls meet with a rounded line that we made a point of keeping.

CV: Where did you find the furniture?

Carol Miluzzi: We collect several mining items there that make up our aesthetic, as we do in our projects.