Casa Ilha Bela is a private residence designed by São Paulo-based practice Studio MK27. Set on the coast of the State of São Paulo and accessible only by boat, the property is surrounded by dense Atlantic forests, facing the Feiticeira Beach. 

Architect Marcio Kogan describes his style as “architecture in cinematic widescreen”. The Brazilian modernist maverick is also a former filmmaker. “There are a lot of elements from film that I have transferred into architecture,” says Kogan, in an interview with Designboom. ”The proportions are very connected to the way you look through the viewfinder, the scene; lighting, not only the artificial lighting but the importance of light. Even the element of bringing some surprise or emotion.” 

Casa Ilha Bela incorporates Hindu and Oriental references, drawing inspiration from culture as much as from architectural aesthetics. Its owners practice oriental Hindu philosophy and a large Buddha statue on a stone wall is visible from practically every room. 

The property is predominantly concrete combined with local and natural materials. Concrete walls and floors are accented with local stone, and heady amounts of bamboo are used throughout, most notably in the second-floor shutters (brises-soleils) that cover the windows and create the property’s striking facade, diminishing direct sunlight without minimizing ventilation.

Studio MK27 is widely considered a patron of the midcentury tropical modernism movement, with its focus on integrated environments and harmonious indoor-outdoor spaces: the living room is essentially a large covered terrace that opens out onto the deck and pool area with large glass doors that retract fully. 

The lower level is a large stone volume with storage and technical utility area, which acts as a divide between the street and garden area. On the second level there are 5 bedrooms and a TV room; the master suite has a beautiful view of the beach. 

Photography by James Silverman, author of Infinite Space.