Mangueira Apartment / Coarquitetos | ArchDaily

The brief consisted of integrating the kitchen and one of the bedrooms into the living room to create an airy and well-lit space. We discussed a lot about whether to keep the suite or if we would propose just one bathroom since the client lives alone and a single bathroom would be enough for her. This discussion took into account the social, cost, and valuation aspects of the property. The conclusion was to follow the client’s basic need and propose only one bathroom in the apartment, in this way, we would gain more quality in other spaces. For this, however, the bathroom had to be large and functional in case another resident came to occupy the apartment in the future.

The bathroom was designed in a way that the sink, toilet, and shower could be used independently. In the apartment, the bathroom works as an island. At the front, the living room. On one side is the kitchen, on the other the office. In the background, a space with a hot tub occupies the façade of cobogós and functions as a balcony that is sometimes social, sometimes intimate. The rooms that surround the bathroom were integrated allowing a circular flow in the social area of the apartment. Curtains allow the privacy of these spaces when necessary.

The apartment was designed with simple and discreet materials, seeking a dialogue with the history of the modern capital. The countertops are made of Andorinha granite, the white walls are covered with white tiles, and the joinery is made of freijó wood.

To highlight the island, the central element of the project, we covered its walls and floors with terracotta tiles that make a direct reference to the modernist architecture of Brasília. This same material covers the façades of Cine Brasília and the “tesourinhas do eixão”. The cobogós also received the necessary emphasis, being exposed in their entirety, allowing the creation of a large and unusual terraced space.