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1940s modernist gem in Brazil gets gorgeous restoration and expansion

An oasis in the middle of the city

Interior shot of white-walled living room looking out onto a grassy courtyard via a wall of sliding glass windows. The space is furnished with midcentury pieces in neutral colors.
The 1940s-built house was furnished with pieces from the era.
Photos by Fran Parente via Yatzer

This modernist gem in São Paulo, Brazil was originally designed in the late 1940s by Zenon Lotufo and recently underwent a ravishing renovation that includes an upper addition. With pristine white surfaces accented by luxuriant wood in parts, and windows covered in a geometric grid of iron grills, the otherwise minimalist four-bedroom, dubbed Casa CSF, boasts bold details that breathe new, contemporary life into the residence.

Helmed by architecture studio Felipe Hess, the renovation transformed the former one-story building with butterfly roof into a more hefty presence by expanding upward to include an office and home theater. A dramatic, curving marquee connecting the house to the brick garage surrounds a grassy yard, where a wall patterned with circular openings stands adjacent. The semi-covered area provides indoor-outdoor space and comprises a patio with fireplace, barbecue, and dining area.

The crisp interiors are furnished with a range of midcentury pieces from designers like José Zanine Caldas, Eero Saarinen, and Sergio Rodrigues, while rich herringbone floors with contrasting woods complement dark paneling found on closet doors and elsewhere throughout the house.

Via: Yatzer