Casa da Baro – Quinta da Baroneza, Bragança Paulista, Brazil 🇧🇷

Casa da Baro, by Passarelli Architecture, structural identity lies in its uncompromising use of exposed concrete, which underscores durability while evoking a sense of monumentality. The residence combines raw concrete, a hallmark of brutalism, with warm wood accents and expansive glass openings to dissolve boundaries between indoor and outdoor spaces. The architectural narrative is anchored by a gravity-defying floating staircase and a striking concave swimming pool, both sculptural elements that challenge spatial perception. Large glass surfaces flood minimalist interiors with natural light, framing panoramic views of the lush landscape while creating visual continuity between the home’s geometric forms and its organic surroundings. By leveraging the site’s topography, the design organically guides movement through tiered levels, transforming the slope into a dynamic driver of form and function.

Name: Casa da Baro
Bedrooms: 5+
Bathrooms: 6+
Size: 3,008 m²
Built: 2024

Casa da Baro, is a sculptural brutalist masterpiece in Bragança Paulista, São Paulo, Brazil. The residence reimagines brutalist architecture through a modern, sculptural lens. Designed by Passarelli Arquitetos, the home anchors itself in the landscape using exposed concrete surfaces, softened by warm wooden accents and expansive glazing. Situated on a sloped terrain, the design takes full advantage of the site’s natural topography to create a residence that feels both grounded and elevated. Concrete serves as the structural and visual core of the project, while strategic material layering and natural ventilation reduce the need for artificial heating and cooling. This integration of material honesty and sustainable strategies reinforces the firm’s commitment to thoughtful, future-forward design.

At the center of the home, a dramatic round concave swimming pool becomes both focal point and functional retreat. Positioned to blend seamlessly with the terrace, it creates the illusion of an infinity edge while interacting dynamically with its surroundings. From different vantage points inside the house, the pool shifts in perception, appearing as a reflective surface from above, a cascading element from the stairwell, and a sculptural basin from below. A floating staircase, another defining feature, adds to the home’s spatial rhythm, appearing to hover within the atrium. Both elements, fluid and structural, are informed by the home’s architectural dialogue with gravity, space, and movement.

Interior spaces are minimalist and refined, with large glass openings that usher in natural light and frame views of the surrounding landscape. Every room is designed with visual clarity and functional coherence, resulting in a clean spatial flow that complements the home’s sculptural form. Outside, the lush landscaping by renowned landscape architect Alex Hanazaki enhances the house’s connection to nature, introducing organic textures and native plantings that echo the structure’s rhythm. Casa da Barô is a rare example of brutalism refined for contemporary living, a project that prioritizes material expression, spatial experience, and environmental integration while redefining what residential architecture can achieve.