The Yin Yang House

Johannes van Graan Johannes van Graan
Casa S. Roque, Urban Core Urban Core Casas minimalistas
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In this homify 360° we take a look at a stunning architectural creation, located in São Roque that looks like it walked out of a museum of contemporary artwork and settled in a suburban neighbourhood. 

Brought to us by the masterminds at Portuguese firm Urban Core, we delve into a piece that is most exceptional in its modern field. 

With sharp edges, strong features, clear window glazing and a strong clash of white and dark exterior, this house is sure to please any admirer of architectural design, modern or otherwise.

​Street view

Casa S. Roque, Urban Core Urban Core Casas minimalistas

Blocks of concrete stacked upon each other, resulting in a modern finishing that towers above its surroundings. Like the building blocks of life, these storeys also form together to tell a story.

The very bottom part of the house, separate from the rest of the construction, forms the garages, laundry room and storage room. This section, only visible from the front exterior, is partially beneath the house, which attempts to dilute the impact of the size of the house. 

With the dark grey lower parts of the house appealingly clashing with the crisp white head, the wide glass glazing convey to us that this modern exterior is not the end of the story – there is much more happening on the inside, if we can only tear our gaze away from its ultra-fabulous external aesthetics…

​Exterior front

Casa S. Roque, Urban Core Urban Core Casas minimalistas

Approaching the front door does a feeble job of distracting our eyes from that top storey – in fact, it has just the opposite effect. Looking like it is about to topple over any minute, the white top volume seemingly guards over the entrance door. Its glass railing, upon closer inspection, is also tinted at a slight angle, adding an ultra modern effect to this already fantastic creation. 

It is almost like a giant chess table – dark against white, block against block. Is that what the creators were aiming for, or is it just a happy coincidence that adds to the house’s character? 

Through the glass glazing we catch glimpses of what might await us on the inside, once we cross that wooden threshold.

​Contemporary cooking

Casa S. Roque, Urban Core Urban Core Cocinas minimalistas

On the ground floor – the living space – we find the modern kitchen: elegant yet simple, quiet yet effective. Dark marble countertops offer ample spacing for any dish arrangement, while the dark wooden kitchen cupboards are sure to house a sufficient amount of utensils for any social event. 

Here, cool pale tile floors emphasise the clean walls. Clear window glazing diverts our eyes to not only the green lawn, but also the living room on the other side of the house. 

This volume makes up the social portion of the house, and it is here where we find the entrance hall, living room, dining room, kitchen, toilet, and private office with en-suite toilet.  

To see how this kitchen compares , take a look at: The Functional And Modern Kitchen Of Your Dreams.

​Window from above

Casa S. Roque, Urban Core Urban Core Balcones y terrazas minimalistas

Gaze out from the window and behold: a range of other concrete structures, none even closely resembling this one. 

In this top storey, where each protruding shape forms a room, we find the bedrooms and bathrooms. Each bedroom offers us a clear view of the exterior surroundings, dissimilar to the volume below it. 

One would almost expect to see hard, concrete tiles on the inside, yet it is the warm and inviting wooden floors that are still keeping us company. The pale interior walls mirror the serene white on the outside, encompassing us in a soft, safe space above the ground.

Modern staircase

Casa S. Roque, Urban Core Urban Core Pasillos, vestíbulos y escaleras minimalistas

Warm wooden flooring continues into the staircase, which joins the levels together. With the cool tranquillity of the white walls softly framing the warmness of the wood, we are reminded of the colour contrast that is also obvious in the house’s exterior.

The slanting railing of the staircase softly echoes the protruding edges of the top storey. No busy décor to distract our eyes from the modern interior, clearly designed that way to fit in with the simple yet dramatic aestheticism of the outside.

​Backyard

Casa S. Roque, Urban Core Urban Core Casas minimalistas

On the other side of the house now, in the backyard to be precise, with the back end of the house to admire. Here we find the cooling effect of the blue swimming pool (complete with a wooden deck framing it) and soft grass balancing with the sheer softness of that incredible top storey.  

With its dynamic shape, its strong protruding rooms partially overlap each other, resulting in a most interesting entity to admire. Transparent glass railings on the terraces add a complementary touch to the “block” effect that the rest of the house exudes.  

The bottom volume strikingly contrasts against not only the grassy green platform, but also its top counterpart – and not only in colour, but also in purpose, as the top volume, where the bedrooms are located, is clearly the more intimate level, compared to the lively living area below it. 

A sheer work of genius and a pristine example of modern architecture!

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