The wind that blows almost constantly along the northeastern coast of Brazil is not only part of the landscape, but also the force that shaped the Casa Attico, a vacation home with a built area of 268 square meters in the coastal town of São Miguel do Gostoso. The house was designed by the architect Matteo Arnone, in collaboration with his team members Laura Tagliavini and Daniel Cha, with the idea of a structure that would not try to protect itself from the wind, but would use it to cool and ventilate its spaces naturally. The result is an extraordinary structure, whose low white base almost blends into the dunes, and from its center rises a red brick tower, allowing views of the sea beyond the vegetation. “Without wind, Casa Attico simply doesn’t work,” Arnone explains. “That’s why it was designed specifically for this area.”

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Arnone designed the house as a second home for himself, where he could stay during periods when he was working in the area, and when he was not there, the house was rented out to vacationers. Along with the need for space to rest and entertain, the architect wanted to create a place that would also allow for reading, working, and quiet contemplation of the landscape. The program includes five bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms, a central kitchen, a living room and work area, four internal courtyards, a pool, and a roof terrace with a small soaking tub. The spaces are organized around the center of the building and on different levels, with the transition between them creating a gradual change between the shared guest areas and the more private and quieter spaces.

Architecturally, the house consists of two volumes with different characteristics. The ground floor is designed as a low, horizontal concrete volume, whose white walls create a system of courtyards and rounded openings. Above it rises a trapezoidal brick tower, which becomes a prominent landmark in the landscape. The height of the tower was determined to allow a view of the Atlantic Ocean, without raising the rest of the house any higher than necessary. In addition to its sculptural presence, the tower plays an important role in the ventilation system: its walls are built of two layers of brick, between which air moves upward, thus enabling natural ventilation of the envelope and reducing the heating of the interior spaces. The graded texture of the bricks, some of which protrude and some recede, gives the facade depth and plays of light and shadow, and emphasizes the contrast between the rough materiality of the bricks and the smooth white surfaces of the ground floor.

The orientation of the building and the division of the interior were also largely dictated by the directions of the wind. The ground floor is designed symmetrically, with four suites located at the corners of the building and a central kitchen surrounded by four courtyards. The wind coming from the east enters through the courtyards, meets the curved walls and changes its direction and strength, before continuing to the bedrooms. In the center of the house, circular openings in the ceilings allow air to rise to the upper levels and be released through the openings of the tower. Thus, the entire building becomes a kind of architectural “wind machine”, in which the walls, openings and courtyards serve both the flow of air and the organization of the spaces.

Ground floor 

In the center of the ground floor is the kitchen, which serves not only as a functional space, but also as the center of the house’s meeting and entertaining space. Its location between the four courtyards allows it to be opened in different directions and create a direct connection between the interior and exterior spaces. Large glass doors in wooden frames open onto the courtyards, so that when they are open, the boundary between the interior and exterior almost disappears, and the various spaces become one entertaining area.

In the center of the kitchen stands a long concrete island, which combines work surfaces, a sink and a stove, and next to it are stools that allow for sitting and eating together. The concrete materiality also continues on the floor and the peripheral work surfaces, while some of the cabinet fronts have been replaced with light fabric curtains, which add softness and movement to the space. Ceramic dishes, straw baskets and wooden items complement the limited material language, based on natural tones and simple textures. Illustrations of marine animals appear on the walls, adding a personal dimension to the space and blending into the coastal atmosphere.

Above the kitchen, a large circular opening in the ceiling opens up, creating a visual connection with the living room and work area on the level above. Like other circular openings in the ceilings of the house, it also allows warm air to rise between the levels and continue its journey outside the house.

The courtyards 

The courtyards surrounding the kitchen are an integral part of the living experience, and function as spaces for staying and entertaining in every sense. Their white, curved walls create a protected and intimate feeling, alongside openness to light and air. In one of them is a pool with curved lines, which integrates into the geometry of the building, and in the other a perforated brick wall that creates a screen between the inside and outside. The spaces between the bricks allow the wind and the sun’s rays to penetrate, and throughout the day they cast changing patterns of light and shadow on the walls and floor.

The contrast between the clean white courtyards and the wild vegetation that surrounds the house is part of the project’s architectural concept, which seeks to create a complete experience within the boundaries of the building. The natural landscape serves as a backdrop for the architecture, while the courtyards offer a more restrained and defined environment. The coconut trees that existed on the site were preserved and integrated into the courtyards alongside additional local vegetation.

The local climate also has an impact on the division of living areas. The strong sun requires shaded places, which allow you to enjoy the outdoors even during the hottest hours. According to Arnone, during the day, activity is concentrated mainly in the shaded courtyards and balconies, while in the late afternoon, when the sun goes down, you can go to the roof terrace and enjoy the open view.

The bedrooms and bathrooms

The four suites at the corners of the ground floor each have their own bathroom and small garden. Two of the suites face the circular courtyard, while the other two overlook the courtyard where the pool is located. The symmetrical arrangement is not just a formal decision, but part of the house’s climatic strategy, allowing all four suites to enjoy natural ventilation, despite their different positions in relation to the wind direction.

The bathrooms include open showers and direct connection to the private gardens, so that even in the intimate spaces the relationship between the building and the environment is maintained. The division of the rooms around the courtyards allows for a sense of privacy, alongside a constant connection with natural light, vegetation and open air.

The Tower 

The transition between the levels is led by a bright yellow metal spiral staircase, which becomes one of the most prominent sculptural elements in the house. The bright color creates a contrast to the restrained materiality of the concrete and bricks, and emphasizes the movement of the stairs through the round openings in the ceilings. The meeting between the circular geometry of the staircase and the straight lines of the tower creates a play of forms that changes from one perspective to another.

On the first level of the tower are the living room and work area, which look out through the round opening to the kitchen below and also open onto an outdoor balcony. The interior design continues the restrained language of the ground floor, with a concrete floor, a built-in work surface and natural wood furniture. Large openings in wooden frames allow light to penetrate inside and frame the view that begins to be revealed beyond the courtyard walls.

The transition from the public spaces on the ground floor to the tower is also accompanied by a change in the sense of space. As you go up, you gradually move away from the guest areas and the protected courtyards, and the view opens up to the vegetation, the dunes and the sea. Above the living room and the study area is the master bedroom suite, on a more private and secluded level, surrounded by the brick shell of the tower.

At the end of the tower, at the roof level, the vertical movement reaches its peak. Here, an open balcony and a small soaking tub are located, allowing you to observe the view of the dunes and the horizon of the Atlantic Ocean. This is where the house, which on the ground floor was mainly turned inwards towards the courtyards, opens up completely to the surroundings.

Architecture | Atelier Matteo Arnone

Architect | Matteo Arnone

Design Team | Laura Tagliavini, Daniel Cha

Photography | Federico Cairoli