Set in Itu, Brazil, Sergio Sampaio Archi + Tectônica designed Casa Themis as a countryside home built for weekends filled with family gatherings, long lunches, and time outdoors. The property sits on gently sloping land shaped by the curve of the access road, which became one of the project’s defining features.
Instead of flattening the terrain, the architects worked with it. A curved stone platform rises gradually from the site, forming a strong visual base for the house while also adding privacy from the street. From the beginning, the project focuses on outdoor living, opening toward wide landscape views and creating multiple spaces where people can gather throughout the day.
A Curved Stone Base and Warm Exterior Materials
One of the most striking elements of Casa Themis is the elevated stone platform that stretches across the site. The textured stone wall not only anchors the home visually but also supports several outdoor areas, including the swimming pool, sun deck, and fire pit zone facing the landscape.
Above this heavy stone base sits a lighter “L”-shaped structure wrapped in vertical wooden slats. The contrast between stone, wood, glass, and steel gives the house a clean contemporary appearance while still feeling warm and natural within the countryside setting. Large openings connect nearly every interior space to the outdoors, allowing the social and private areas to remain visually linked to the leisure platform below.
The construction system combines steel beams and columns with aerated concrete block walls, helping improve thermal and acoustic insulation. This lightweight approach also reduced waste during construction, making the project more efficient overall.
The Dramatic Cantilever and Integrated Solar Design
The lightweight steel structure allowed the architects to push one of the home’s most impressive features even further. The main living room projects outward in a dramatic five-meter cantilever extending beyond the stone wall below, creating the feeling that the volume is floating above the landscape.
Underneath this projection, the architects created a covered vehicle shelter accessed by its own staircase. The main entrance sits to the side of the home and is marked by a slim metal canopy that introduces the home’s modern industrial detailing.
The roofline also supports sustainable systems including solar panels, helping the home operate more efficiently while maintaining the clean architectural form. Together, the cantilever and technical systems show how structural engineering and sustainability can work together without interrupting the design.
A Pool Terrace Built Into the Landscape
The outdoor platform acts almost like an extension of the architecture itself. Instead of separating the leisure spaces from the home, the swimming pool, deck, and fire pit area are fully woven into the design.
Positioned toward the best views on the property, the pool terrace becomes the social heart of the home during weekends and gatherings. The elevated platform creates a sense of openness while the surrounding stone walls maintain privacy from the nearby road.
The combination of water, natural materials, and open sky gives the exterior spaces a resort-like atmosphere without feeling excessive. Every area feels tied back to the slope and natural contours of the land.
Open Living Spaces
Inside the home, the main living spaces are designed as open, connected environments that flow directly toward the outdoor platform. Full-height glazing brings in natural light and frames uninterrupted views across the property.
Nearby, the kitchen continues the home’s clean material palette with natural finishes and integrated design details that keep attention focused on the surrounding scenery. Together, these spaces support large gatherings while still feeling comfortable for everyday use.
Alongside the primary living room, a secondary lounge and dining area create more intimate zones for conversation, meals, and relaxation.
The cantilevered living room becomes one of the most dramatic interior moments in the house. Floating beyond the stone base below, the space feels suspended above the landscape while remaining visually connected to the pool and outdoor areas.
Private Bedrooms With Direct Outdoor Connections
The bedrooms continue the same architectural language seen throughout the home, combining warm materials, large openings, and strong visual connections to the exterior spaces.
Positioned along the “L”-shaped structure, the rooms overlook the leisure platform and landscape while maintaining privacy from the road below.
Architectural Drawings Reveal the Home’s Smart Layout
The architectural drawings help explain how the project responds so directly to the sloping site, and how the curved stone platform lifts the home above the terrain while supporting the pool, outdoor deck, and social spaces.
From the floating cantilevered living room to the elevated pool terrace overlooking the landscape, every element of this home supports gathering, leisure, and connection to the outdoors. The result is a modern Brazilian countryside home that balances strong architectural expression with relaxed everyday living.