Casa nao casa

Model photo.

Words from the architect

"The mirror has no memory, and cannot retain an image unless it is applied to its surface. And, unlike the photographic negative it is incapable of multiplying the image reflected in its surface - unless that surface is fragmented and its integrity destroyed." - Robert Hopper

Model photo.

Patio housing is a paradigm of Mediterranean architecture. But what was initially very clearly related to the climate, morphology and culture of a region, with time has set itself free from these conditions through new construction technologies, new materials, new customs and cultural habits. The patio became, an element of easy exportation reaching even the ice-cold Scandinavia, where the Patio Housing by John Utzon in Fredensburg, Denmark, and the Muuratsalo House by Alvar Aalto, Finland, are striking examples.

Model photo.

More than a mere cultural reflection or the identity of a region, the patio typology has come to represent a special quality and the relationship with the outer world.

Concept Sketch.

The Casa nao Casa creates a patio which is the centre of the house. Upstairs, the rooms that look down onto the tree-top and the green body below; and downstairs, the rooms that are directly related to the earth. The uncovered patio also works as a link between bedrooms and living rooms.

Facade rendering.

The facade is the skin involving the house. It is related to the exterior and defines the perimeter of that which is inside and that which is outside. The Casa nao Casa has in the module of its facade the pretension of creating both a relationship with the exterior, the composition and energy. Through mirrored surfaces, the facade reflects the environment, thus creating a mimetic relationship. Its shape is the basis of the motive of composition and its photovoltaic panels solve the energy issue.

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