Secluded jungle hideaway – Rio de Janeiro

This private retreat adjacent to the Tijuca National Park outside of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, is a rational steel and glass box supported by two concrete piers. The 1,500-square-foot house rises into the rainforest canopy providing a secluded hideaway for the owner couple to retreat from the city and connect with the natural landscape.
Designed by Olson Kungig, the home is sited in harmony with the wildness of its tropical jungle setting. Tucked into the juçara palm and cariniana trees, the north end of the home contains a single bedroom while the south end opens to views of city, sea and Rio’s famous Christ the Redeemer statue. Below, a screened porch and outdoor kitchenette allow the owners to engage the landscape.
Painted, marine-grade stainless structural steel is the home’s primary material which stands up to the humid climate where corrosion is a concern. Manual gizmos on pivot windows and retractable window walls, as well as a solar water heating system, allow the home to function during intermittent power outages. Local construction techniques are incorporated inside and outside the home, from board-formed concrete site walls and colourful plaster interior walls to the Brazilian wood and vermelhao stained concrete floors, a common vernacular tradition.