Paula House Uses Concrete Screens to Temper the Sunset
Paula House is a house in São Paulo, Brazil, designed by Luciano Kruk arquitectos. Set within a development on the city’s outskirts, it responds to a landscape of lagoon, golf course, and garden with a low, carefully organized plan. The owners’ interest in Brazilian art and culture helped shape a home intended to reflect daily life while keeping a clear architectural focus.
About Paula House
“Aesthetics are very fragile,” Luciano Kruk warned the owners of this house, and they took that seriously, doing everything possible to ensure the built work remained faithful to the architect’s vision. Located in a development on the outskirts of São Paulo, the house sits within a carefully composed landscape of an artificial lagoon and a golf course.
The owners, who are deeply engaged with Brazilian art and culture, wanted a home that reflected their way of living and stood apart through its architecture. For Luciano, the main challenge was to design a large house that would not read as a heavy volume, but instead sit in balance with the surrounding landscape. He resolved this by organizing the home on a single main level, paired with a concealed lower level for technical areas and a gym, allowing the building to integrate more quietly with its setting.
At the center of the plan is a courtyard planted with vegetation typical of the Atlantic Forest, creating a calm and visually rich interior garden. The house contains four bedrooms—one primary suite and three children’s rooms—along with a large living room and an entertainment area. A generous gallery occupies the lot’s most privileged position, opening directly toward the lagoon and golf course. That gallery forms the core of the house. In Brazil’s climate, outdoor living can extend through much of the year, and daily life often unfolds in spaces like this.
Because the best views align with the setting sun, the gallery is protected by inclined concrete partitions that reduce the force of the afternoon light. The pool is set at the same level as the main floor, which is raised above the ground, so that it can connect visually with the surrounding landscape through reflections of the lagoon. In this way, the pool and the lagoon read as continuous bodies of water.
Since the house is elevated, the pool’s infinity edge creates a cascading effect, turning the water into a sculptural presence at ground level. The bedrooms, placed toward the front of the lot, open onto a large front garden that strengthens the connection to nature while preserving privacy from the street.
Kruk also emphasizes the role of the owners and the construction company, which specializes in architecturally driven houses, in creating the conditions for a smooth building process. Despite the geographic distance between the parties, architect and builder maintained close communication, with steady dialogue and constant feedback throughout. That collaborative process is visible in the final result, and it also made the work itself engaging and rewarding for both the team and the homeowners.
Photography by Daniela Mac Adden
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