Sophie Tremblay
The owners of this Lake House, with a beautiful view of the lake and the forest in Quinta da Baroneza, have always been fans of the work of the Gilda Meirelles Architecture office. When they found a ready-made residence that had been tailored for another resident who needed to move, they fell in love at first sight. Over time, the large family began visiting the house more frequently—on weekends, holidays, and during vacations—and realized they needed more space to comfortably accommodate everyone, including for entertaining occasional guests. Thus, they acquired additional neighboring lots, totaling an area of 1,300 m².
The new plan consisted of expanding and improving the garden and leisure areas—which now include a beach tennis court with support, a game room, and a home theater—and service areas—where a kitchen, dining room, and staff quarters were added. In the pool area, all the finishes and coverings—which had already worn out over time and use—were redone. Additionally, a new suite was included at the residents’ request, where sliding doors with wooden slats open directly to a breathtaking view of the Baroneza lake. The renovation approach was to remodel part of the lot to create a new entrance, now possible with the increase in area. The slope of the land was utilized to almost hide the garage beneath the new beach tennis court.
Being a country house, designed as a temporary refuge from urban life, the landscaping, signed by Alex Hanazaki, plays an important role in highlighting and emphasizing the architecture. Since the original project had been done by the same office and the owners liked it very much, the architects maintained the style, modernizing the finishes and adding new roofs and volumes. The chosen colors and the option for wooden frames and stone cladding were specially selected to ensure fluidity between architecture and the countryside, the forest, and the landscape. The biggest challenge, which ultimately became its greatest quality, was the integration of the old project with the new. The standout feature is how the house appears to have been designed all at once, and once completed, we cannot distinguish what already existed from the new part.
Project info:
Architects: Gilda Meirelles Arquitetura
Country: Brazil
Year: 2025
Photographs: Pedro Mascaro
Landscape: Alex Hanazaki
Engineering: Epson Engenharia
Windows: Mado Esquadrias de Madeira.
Tags: 2025BrazilGilda Meirelles ArquiteturaPedro Mascaro
Sophie Tremblay
Sophie Tremblay is a Montreal-based architectural editor and designer with a focus on sustainable urban development. A McGill University architecture graduate, she began her career in adaptive reuse, blending modern design with historical structures. As a Project Editor at Arch2O, she curates stories that connect traditional practice with forward-thinking design. Her writing highlights architecture’s role in community engagement and social impact. Sophie has contributed to Canadian Architect and continues to collaborate with local studios on community-driven projects throughout Quebec, maintaining a hands-on approach that informs both her design sensibility and editorial perspective.
