Luxe, solar-powered home boasts a green soul in Brazil

Brazilian architecture firm Studio CK Arquitetura has recently completed the Casa Doce Vida, a custom luxury home that emphasizes sustainable design. Dubbed a “residence with a green soul,” the house embraces views of and connections to nature from every room to give the homeowners a seamless indoor/outdoor living experience. The eco-friendly dwelling is also entirely powered by solar panels installed onsite. The structure captures rainwater for irrigating lush horizontal and vertical gardens as well for cleaning purposes.

vertical garden growing on side of a house

Casa Doce Vida is located in Aspen Mountain Lawn, an upscale condominium complex in Gramado, the southern Brazilian mountain resort town famous for its year-round temperate weather and idyllic environment. The residential development highlights the region’s wealth of green space with its naturalistic layout of winding roads, gently rolling hills and abundance of tall, mature trees. As a result, the architects surrounded the home with full-height glazing and operable windows to pull views, natural light and fresh air indoors.

round tan sofa in room with glass walls

two white chairs facing a stone fireplace

“With brutalist contemporary architecture, the organic facade, with a huge vertical garden permeating both sides, presents a total connection with nature!” the architects said. “An extraordinary environment to connect with the outside and with yourself, and enjoy the time and the absolutely beautiful landscape.”

large beige sectional sofa facing a fireplace

narrow wood patio connected to a room with glass walls

A natural materials palette of stone and timber further blurs the boundaries between indoors and out, while a muted color scheme keeps focus on the lush outdoor environment. In addition to the solar panels, rainwater harvesting system and large expanses of glazing that help reduce the building’s energy footprint, Casa Doce Vida is also equipped with double-combustion fireplaces. These fireplaces rely on ethanol and certified firewood to reduce the use of vegetable-based fuel by over 50%. The architects offset the building’s carbon footprint by planting native trees on site.

+ Studio CK Arquitetura

Photography by Roberta Gewehr via Studio CK Arquitetura

glass and stone home surrounded by a forest

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