Gama Issa
São Paulo, Brazil
Lair Reis
In renovating and expanding Gama Issa house, Studio MK27 had the unique opportunity to improve upon their first prize-winning design, from 2002. Their set goal: to bring the house to the present day without it losing its identity.
New technologies and finishes
Project manager Lair Reis: “Our clients had bought an adjacent lot to Gama Issa house and wanted to build a studio. They seized the opportunity to renovate the house, enlarge the bedrooms and change the finishes and furniture. We approached the project almost like we were designing the house for the first time, but with the use of new technologies and finishes that weren’t available at the time.”
Neutrality with elegance is the synthesis of what we’re looking for in our projects.
Reinforcing the design aesthetic
A case in point: the sliding glass doors in the living room. “The integration of the interior and exterior is an important feature in all our designs”, explains Reis. “The 5.36 meter floor to ceiling height forced us to use three-piece glass with horizontal bars in 2002. This time around we could select a new sliding glass system using a single piece of glass, reinforcing the original design aesthetic.”
Modernist design
Reis worked closely with the home owners throughout the project. “They were in charge of the interior design and also helped develop the millwork design. We chose all the materials in close consultation with our clients. Hakwood’s grey tone fit the modernist design and matched the clients’ expectations perfectly.”
The grey flooring fit in with the new look of the house, while respecting the predominantly white, modernist look of the original architecture.
| Products used | |
|---|---|
| Flooring | |
| Grades | Natural |
| Finish | Oil |
| Thickness | 20 mm (3/4") |
| Plank widths | 180 mm (7") |
