When I think of a place I would like to live, it is always in a house that is modern, yet old, surrounded by forest and close to the sea. A place to relax, sip a mojito or two and take a dip in the pool. and a house that is so perfect, no matter how big or small. One of the most remarkable things about Casa das Canoas, designed by Oscar Niemeyer in 1951, is the transparency of the first floor of the home. We always say with modernism that architects bring the outside into the home, blurring the lines between in- and outside space. This is my idea of heaven. Built for himself in 1953, this building so similar with the ideas of Le Corbusier and of the time, comes to life with its curves and use of materials, and being surrounded by forest with views to the sea, makes the more beautiful place in which to live. It was used as his family house until 1965, year in which he had to abandon Brazil due to the military dictatorship. Using tropical eroticism as a construction language Niemeyer deconstructed the language of functionalist modern architecture: the curved flat roof supported by light steel columns and the transparent glass walls make the house disappear within the tropical jungle.
Here, the home is the entire outside space and the first floor of the house functions as a pavilion; a shelter from weather and an organizer and framer of the outside space. From the start this home is harmonious with its surroundings as Niemeyer incorporated the house and pool into the large granite boulder on the site. Whether you are lounging in the pool, having a cocktail on the patio or standing at a window and looking out this is truly sophisticated outdoor living.
