636 House

Located in a prime area of Brasília, House 636 stands on a sloping lot, with a 1.4-meter elevation difference along the front street—roughly the height of half a floor. This natural feature of the site inspired the idea of a stepped composition for the design, creating spaces on four distinct levels, separated by half-flights of stairs.

 

The result of this composition is a solid volumetry of white boxes, interspersed by a central void—a glass staircase that hints at the movement of people within. The floors are arranged in two volumes, each 6 meters wide, and connected by a 3-meter central void. The modular sequence 6–3–6 meters gives the house its name.

 

The centrality of the staircase plays a dominant role in the house, guiding circulation between the spaces. Thus, each landing corresponds to a new functional core, a scheme disrupted only by the unusual presence of the kitchen in the center of the house—the only room with a double-height ceiling and easy access to the other rooms and the outdoor area.

 

The other spaces are organized according to their proximity to the ground floor, in a progression from the more social to the more intimate. Thus, the lower ground floor houses utility areas such as the laundry room, pantry, storage, and garage; the upper ground floor, the social level, features the kitchen, living room, and balcony, as well as a small office and the guest bedroom. The third level is private and includes the three bedrooms and a TV room. Finally, there is a spacious terrace overlooking Lake Paranoá.