Casa Cor II

Carmaker Renault gave designer Alexandre Dal Fabbro free rein to create the Renault Loft at the Casa Cor interior show in Sao Paolo, as long as it contained a garage. Dal Fabbro, of ADF Arquitetura, came up with a glass house for car and man.

Desert modernism

“I got my inspiration from desert modernism, the kind of house that was built in 1940s Palm Springs”, says Dal Fabbro. “I took that aesthetic of strict lines and simple structures and brought it one step further: a glass house with the most minimal steel structure. Even the garage was separated from the living area only by a glass partition, with a translucent curtain.”

“I want my interiors to be sustainable: they shouldn’t date for many years.”

Integrating indoors and outdoors

The base idea was to fully integrate the indoors and outdoors, explains Dal Fabbro. “Outdoor living is a huge part of Brazilian culture. To emphasise that, I extended some design features from the living area to the outside seating area. The concrete and ceramic plates outside were cut to the exact dimensions of the Hakwood flooring, providing an almost seamless connection.”

“Our tropical climate means people live outside, so the landscape is an integral part of any design.”

Contemporary way of life

“The Hakwood flooring was important in another respect as well”, says Dal Fabbro. “I wanted the space to be minimal, without feeling sterile. The natural wood flooring and selected furniture provided the perfect balance. The design really resonated with visitors – it related to their contemporary way of life.”