House AC: Contemporary Pavilion Extension in Porto Feliz, Brazil

Harmonious Pavilion Integration

House AC is a thoughtfully designed pavilion extension to an existing residence in the interior of São Paulo. The architects aimed to create a fluid, functional space that complements the original home while enhancing its leisure and social areas. The new pavilion houses a spacious living area, fully equipped kitchen, a large dining table, an integrated living room, and a guest suite on the ground floor. The suite has been carefully designed for visitors with reduced mobility, while a dedicated changing room supports the pool area, ensuring both comfort and accessibility.

Design Concept and Material Strategy

The design process focused on two guiding principles: fostering a seamless dialogue with the existing house and garden, and enabling a fast, clean, and organized construction process. To achieve these goals, the architects opted for prefabricated construction elements assembled on-site. This approach allowed the entire project—from foundations to finishes—to be completed efficiently within just four months.

The pavilion is composed of two parallel rectangular volumes covered under a single roof. The first block, closer to the original house, functions as a natural extension of the social areas, while the second block, slightly rotated and set further away, provides privacy for the guest suite and amplifies the view from the main residence.

Structural Innovation

House AC’s structure combines metal columns and beams set on concrete foundations, supporting a lightweight roof of exposed wooden beams extending toward the pool. The generous eaves are enclosed with glass and metal mesh, providing solar shading, filtering natural light, and protecting the pavilion façade. This innovative structural system ensures both durability and a sense of openness.

Seamless Indoor-Outdoor Connection

The pavilion’s external cladding, composed of lead-colored cement-finished wooden panels, establishes a visual harmony with the black-painted wooden panels of the original house. The light beige exposed aggregate flooring runs continuously from the interior to the surrounding pool deck, enhanced by wide sliding glass doors. This design strategy creates a fluid integration between interior and exterior spaces, bringing natural light and informal leisure qualities into the heart of the pavilion.

Sustainable and Aesthetic Approach

By combining prefabricated construction, locally sourced materials, and minimalist detailing, House AC achieves a sustainable yet visually refined architecture. The careful material choices and spatial planning emphasize light, openness, and connection with the surrounding landscape, creating a contemporary living environment that respects and complements its original context.

All Photographs are works of Carolina Lacaz