The Tetris House: A Creatively Organized Modern Brazilian Home

The name Tetris House likely calls to mind the brightly colored game, but it is not the colors or infectious music that are the inspiration for this Sao Paulo home.

Instead, architects Marcio Kogan and Carolina Castroviejo found inspiration from the way that the boxes in that game fit together snugly. This home, like the game, seems to be made up of many different boxes that fit together, creating separate rooms that work in harmony with one another. The home is large and gorgeous, featuring a bold use of natural wood slats, creative circulation, and sleek furnishings that create a beautiful space perfect for luxurious Brazilian living as well as wonderful, boisterous entertaining.

Unless a luxury home is perched high above the Manhattan skyline, space and privacy are essential elements and it is no different with this house. From the front entry, the house is set back from the street and shaded with trees and a gorgeous natural wood fence to provide the utmost in discretion.

Inside the house we can begin to see the architect’s vision come to life. The main living area is made up of one box, measuring 2.85 meters (just over 9 feet), that is nestled inside the larger box of the house, which measures 15.5 meters (about 51 feet) high. The open plan living area is contained within this box, but there still opens up to both the front and back of the house, maximizing the space.

Overlooking the main living space is a “de dentro para dentro” esplanade, which is essentially an indoor balcony. The interior designer, Diana Radomysler, as created a bright and welcoming workspace from this element. It is on this balcony that we also get a clear look at the warm and lovely wood slatted ceiling. These slats are not only design-friendly but they actually serve a climate control purpose as well, absorbing heat during the day and keeping the space cool even in the Brazilian summer.

The outdoor space in the back garden is particularly inviting. Because the living area opens up into the garden, the stone flooring actually carries out onto the patio for a unified feel. A unique elevated deck creates a cozy vantage point that is perfect for a late afternoon cocktail, or drying off after a splash in the pool.

From the front gate to the facade to the pool deck, the use of beautiful natural woods is a lovely theme for this home. The way that these wood panels fit together is just one more example of how each piece of this home fits snugly in place for a winning design.