Aurora Apartment, At first sight, the light entering the 9.5 meters wide windows in the living room captivates whoever enters the 2,000 ft2 apartment. The kitchen, however, was dark and segregated from the rest of the home. Another key issue was a narrow passageway existing in the hallway, only 78 cm wide. This turned out to be emerging from the structure of the apartment, comprised of three parallel concrete walls: two of them formed the extremities of the apartment, and the other one goes across its center, dividing the kitchen and the living room from the bedroom area, with only the mentioned narrow gap for passage.
© Paula Caruso
From that, the following objectives were established: To incorporate the kitchen into the rest of the social settings, enabling it to welcome natural light; to plan an overall space that accommodates well family and friends; and to create a continuous flow from the bedrooms to the laundry room and kitchen, without the need to enter the living area. At last, in order to have a comfortable and accessible pathway, a structural intervention was needed, finally enlarging the 78cm gap in the central concrete wall.
© Paula Caruso
The resolution for the latter request was based on the position of two parallel beams that stretch themselves across the apartment. Below one of those beams, a wooden panel with two built-in sliding doors was installed, facing the kitchen and hallway from one side, and the living room from the other. While one door opens up the kitchen to the rest of the social space, the other connects the bedrooms to the service area.
© Paula Caruso
A four-and-a-half-meter-long island stretches across the kitchen. In order to bring lightness to the large element, we bulged its edges and recoiled the concrete base, like a cantilever, making it appear to float. Now, in the intimate area, all the bedrooms and guest rooms have study areas, looking to get the most out of the space. The choice of materials aimed towards a cozy and serene ambiance. Having that in mind, we chose to balance the apparent structural concrete with wood and other warm and low-saturated tones and textures.
Project Info
Architects: CoDA Arquitetura
Country: Brazil, Asa Sul
Area: 188 m²
Year: 2023
Photographs: Paula Caruso
Autores: Pedro Grilo, Alice Menezes, Joanne Viana
Design Team: Gabriel Monteiro, Lorena Freitas
Execution: Rafferson Camel
Editorial: Mariana Verdolin, Gabriel Monteiro, Júlia Coutinho
Marble: WS Marmoraria
Structures: RR Engenharia
Foreman: Antônio Estevão
Woodwork: Studio Kaizen
Madeline Brooks is a Projects Editor at Arch2O, where she has been shaping and refining architectural content since March 2024. With over a decade of experience in editorial work, she has curated, revised, and published an array of projects covering architecture, urbanism, and public space design. A graduate of the Harvard University Graduate School of Design, Madeline brings a strong academic foundation and a discerning editorial eye to each piece she oversees. Since joining Arch2O, she has played a pivotal role in shaping the platform’s editorial direction, with a focus on sustainability, social relevance, and cutting-edge design. Madeline excels at translating complex architectural ideas into clear, engaging stories that resonate with both industry professionals and general readers. She works closely with architects, designers, and global contributors to ensure every project is presented with clarity, depth, and compelling visual narrative. Her editorial leadership continues to elevate Arch2O’s role in global architectural dialogue.