The treehouse is located in Teresópolis, 100 km from Rio de Janeiro. The narrow plot has a 10-meter elevation difference, with access from the highest point. To the right of the entrance is a natural reserve with trees reaching up to 30 meters in height. In front, the view stretches across the mountain range of the region. To keep the ground free, exposed to sunlight, and minimize the construction of stairs, earthmoving, and contact with moisture, the house was built 1 meter below the access level, in a long volume elevated 7 meters from the ground, like a pier.
In section, the house is divided into three spaces: the ground, free and permeable; the slabs, aerial planes with views of the forest and the mountains; and the house, a volume at the height of the tree canopies. The horizontality of the building contrasts with the verticality of the vegetation. The long, slender concrete pillars, measuring 20 x 50 cm, are braced by two intermediate slabs, creating a living space by the forest and freeing the ground for life to continue under the house—plants, animals, and water. These planes—elevated grounds—have no infrastructure, enclosures, or defined use.
Inside the house, a gallery connects the spaces, which are arranged transversely to it. The volume, through which access is gained, is 1.5 meters wide and is marked by the rhythm of the wooden roof structure, composed of 19 modules, each 80 cm. The glass façade opens like a balcony, allowing for uses that go beyond simple circulation.
In contrast to the visual permeability of the gallery, the volume of the living spaces is defined by a solid brick wall, which directs the gaze toward the opposite boundary. The bedrooms, kitchen, living room, and restrooms are at the height of the tree foliage, with large windows framing the greenery. From there, one can observe the rhythm of numerous birds, woodpeckers, and caxinguelês.
The roof connects the volumes transversely, divided into two slopes, with a height difference of 30 cm between the circulation and the interior spaces, allowing light to enter. The width of the rooms follows the same modular system that defines the gallery. From the interior, it is possible to see the boundaries of the house dissolve through the reflection of the greenery and sky on the galvanized tile eaves.
