House Sede in Cunha: A Pioneer in Adaptive Renovation and Sustainable Architecture

A Comprehensive Introduction
In the heart of the scenic Serra do Mar valley near Pedra da Macela in Cunha, Brazil, where the mountains meet the sea and the horizon overlooks the historic town of Paraty, the House Sede project emerges not merely as a residence, but as an architectural statement on the harmony between humans and nature. Completed in 2024 by the architecture firm Messina | Rivas, it represents a creative response to constraints, having been built within a protected environmental area that mandates the preservation of existing structures. Through the renovation and adaptation of original buildings, this 120-square-meter dwelling offers a sustainable answer to the question of responsible architecture, relying on a deep dialogue between modernity and local craft traditions.

The Site and Environmental Context: Challenge and Opportunity
The project is situated within the rugged terrain of the Serra do Mar, an area known for its unique biodiversity and high environmental sensitivity. This exceptional location was not just an aesthetic backdrop but the defining factor in shaping the design concept. Stringent environmental laws prohibited new construction, leading the architects to adopt a radically different philosophy: adaptive renovation. The legal constraint became a platform for creativity, where the goal was to revitalize the existing rather than replace it, ensuring minimal impact on the surrounding ecosystem.

Design Philosophy: From Small Interventions to a Holistic Transformation
House Sede was not a traditional, single-phase project but a developmental journey that spanned years. What began in 2017 as a series of small, modest interventions grew organically into a comprehensive transformation of the property. This journey reflects a patient and thoughtful engagement with the site, allowing for a deeper understanding of the place and its needs.
The project’s scope expanded to include several buildings:

· The Caretaker’s House: Preserving its residential function while enhancing it.
· A Laundry Facility: Rehabilitating a service building.
· A Studio: Providing a space for creativity and work.
· A Chicken Coop: Integrating elements of daily rural life.
The main house, representing the final phase, acts as an architectural anchor that unifies these diverse functions into a coherent whole, balancing the needs of the inhabitants with complete respect for the environment.

Materials and Craftsmanship: The Embodied Spirit of Place
The commitment to local materials and craftsmanship is central to the project’s identity, making it a model for regionally rooted architecture.

· Handmade Bricks: The bricks were sourced from renowned Cunha potters, Zé Tápuinha and Burico. This choice adds not only an aesthetic touch but also creates a tangible, physical connection to the region’s history and craft traditions, with each brick bearing a unique human imprint.
· Sustainable Eucalyptus Timber: The eucalyptus wood was harvested and processed on-site by regional craftsman Lico. This practice not only underscores sustainability and reduces transportation emissions but also ensures the project maintains a low carbon footprint.
· Local Artisans and Builders: Every aspect of the construction was executed by local craftsmen, whose decades of accumulated experience ensured the project’s authenticity and profound sense of place, bolstering the local economy and preserving craft knowledge from disappearance.

Relationship with Nature: Architecture as a Mediator
House Sede was designed to be a transparent mediator between its inhabitants and the surrounding landscape, not a barrier that isolates them from it. The layout promotes a fluid movement between interior and exterior spaces, where pathways and openings interact with the natural topography rather than resist it. The result is a contemporary dwelling that feels like a natural extension of the site, respecting the rhythms of local life and embodying the enduring essence of rural architecture in Cunha. It offers not just a housing solution, but a replicable model for sustainable design that is responsive to its cultural and environmental context in protected areas around the world.

✦ Archup Editorial Insight

The project presents an approach of adaptive renovation within an environmentally protected area, focusing on the reuse of existing structures and the integration of local materials and craftsmanship. An analysis of the layout reveals that the architectural interventions maintained the basic volume of the pre-existing buildings, which may have limited the potential for a more radical reconfiguration of the interior spaces to fully accommodate contemporary comfort requirements. The design’s reliance on a linear organization of the program around a central courtyard might not generate the same spatial dynamism offered by more organic layouts that integrate more dynamically with the rugged terrain. Furthermore, the use of handmade bricks in the façades without an advanced thermal insulation system raises questions about the building’s energy efficiency and performance in the humid tropical climate over the long term. However, the clear and deliberate treatment of the relationship between the built masses and the surrounding external spaces resulted in a quiet and logical sequence for movement between the site’s various functions.