Querosene House by grupoSP
Brazillian architects grupoSP designed the Querosene House in São Paulo, Brazil.

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Description from the architects:
The fact that a large portion of land lies three meters below street level and the typical conformation of this urban batch 10X40 meters enabled a large open space that is straightforward and transparent. This space is defined in one side by the north face structure, a parallel free wall which houses a library containing 7,500 volumes and on the other side by a parallel block, an all closed space – a block with three stories that contains all the services, equipment and dormitories.
To access this block concrete stairs positioned parallel to the south limit of the bath, to access the wall of books metal platforms connected to the service block placed in an interleaved manner.
The design takes advantage from the difference between the street level and the lower level of the plot, by positioning the living room in this lower level which ensures the required privacy and maintains the view of the distant landscape through the void. This simple home adopts simple constructive solutions, reducing the actions required for its achievement. The structure of the volume is resumed to masonry walls and reinforced concrete. Installations are apparent and performed without interference. After that the finishes are simple: monolithic concrete flooring and white Portuguese Stone. The walls without finishes are ready as it built. A single exception: the wall with books, finished with time and history.
Visit the grupoSP website – here.
Photography by Nelson Kon
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Alexandra on 02 Dec 2010 at 10:45 am #
It sure would make for a nice public library! I don’t see ‘house’ though. Interesting concept I guess. I’m a big book lover, but I guess not this big!
GJ on 02 Dec 2010 at 11:12 am #
Love it! Please add pics of pool on roof.
kmg on 02 Dec 2010 at 5:12 pm #
i love this.
a bit raw for some, i’m sure. and i would tweak some detail. but i really love this space, the concrete, the height and the simplicity.
windows would have to be a different solution in cooler climates though…
shane on 02 Dec 2010 at 6:13 pm #
I love the “neighbors be damned” design. Great concept
BUNDIT on 02 Dec 2010 at 8:43 pm #
What the upper Pool function ?
Tex on 02 Dec 2010 at 9:08 pm #
Completely devoid of character.
A house? Barely.
A home – definitely not!
Hector on 02 Dec 2010 at 10:48 pm #
Speak for yourself, because I would love to live in this HOME.
Tex, you obviously don’t understand what the word “character” means, and you’re simply trying to bash something because it doesn’t suit your personal preference.
Fernando Cals on 03 Dec 2010 at 3:43 am #
Interessante solução para um lote estreito e alongado…no entanto, parece-me mais um escritorio onde se pode morar – também – do que propriamente uma residência, um lar.
Mas, como proposta, valeu!
Filip on 03 Dec 2010 at 11:26 am #
The wood shelves, the books, the semi human intellectual mess of books, papers, macs, education toys gives this project a very warm and homey feeling. Overall industrial but nicely softened by the owners items. Thumbs up!
kmg on 03 Dec 2010 at 2:51 pm #
Hmmm… interesting comments Tex.
Different people respond to different things, I suppose.
I would suggest that the character is embodied in the materials choice, the layout, the transparency, the “lifestyle choice” of living in a space like this.
The detail is perhaps a little on the cool side – even for me. But I really dig the concept. I would live there!
lauren wood on 03 Dec 2010 at 2:52 pm #
do you think they owned all those books previously ad designed their home around them? or bought a whole heap just to fill the shelves?
shane on 03 Dec 2010 at 5:01 pm #
I would hope they had the books as the design is all about them & that is part of what makes this so good. It’s about the people who wanted that home. If they went out & got the books they’re posers
Ricardo de A on 03 Dec 2010 at 5:39 pm #
i just hated the handrails with the cheap metal mesh!… but I can imagine the kind of woodwork needed to get that finishing on the concrete walls, awesome! and the monolithic stairs! woh!… i do feel its a cold place, more like a public library indeed, I can’t imagine that “sacred” space being invaded by party friends or a loud soundsytem… dont get me wrong I think its great, i just think I wouldnt live there as a personal choice. (and why they aren’t reading in that photo???)
TW on 03 Dec 2010 at 9:31 pm #
As someone with a huge book collection this house appeals to me enormously.
I would have liked to have seen the other rooms though.
My only quibble is how to keep the book spines from fading? This is an eternal problem for book collectors in a modern house with big windows and lots of light. All suggestions would be greatly appreciated lol!
Maira Evans on 04 Dec 2010 at 4:59 am #
@ TW, make a good quality high resolution color copy of the book cover and wrap it around the book. This way it will look exactly as it originally does and will protect it from fading.I’ve done this to all my books.
TW on 05 Dec 2010 at 12:21 am #
Thank you Maira – perfect suggestion! I can’t believe i didn’t think of such a simple solution.
Bruno on 06 Dec 2010 at 12:22 pm #
o projeto e os desenhos aparentam ser muito melhor do que construido, o conceito proposto e a verdade dos materiais, acredito ser muito interessante, mas para uma residência, fico um pouco receoso, acredito que esse conceito se encaixe melhor em obras publicas.
Bruno on 06 Dec 2010 at 12:23 pm #
translating….
the project and the drawings appear to be much better than building, the proposed concept and truth of materials, I believe it is very interesting, but for a residence, I am a little afraid, I think this concept fits better in public works.
lemi on 09 Dec 2010 at 1:48 am #
Brazilian Architects Rock! and Slovenian. Well Slovenians ‘Groove’
squid on 11 Dec 2010 at 10:31 pm #
why do architects completely forget acoustics when they design houses? This place is one acoustic space… completely unsuitable for a family… unless there is some hereditary deafness syndrome they all have.
squid on 11 Dec 2010 at 10:32 pm #
also. . what is the long term stability of all those cement blocks stacked like that? wouldn’t it be much stronger with a ‘stretcher bond’? looks like its about to fall over to me.