Articles by Valeria Silva

Inspiration. Casa VF was born from the observation of the sequence of the waves of the beach break, which generate different rhythms and approaches to the edge. From this observation, two volumes are projected, two sequences, mounted on a horizontal plinth that raises the views above the horizon of the sea, like the force of the east of the sea on the horizon.

The idea for this 110m2 apartment, located in the Flamengo neighborhood in Rio de Janeiro, aims to expand the existing spaces, delimited by the original configuration, creating new possibilities and variations. The main challenge came with the presence of five slender pillars, close to each other and centrally located, which ended up becoming the fundamental premise of the project. We chose to surround them with an irregular element of raw concrete, which became a highlight, embracing the refrigerator and cabinets, and creating a circular walkway in the environment.

Wonderkin is a kids ‘edutainment’ playroom in Kuwait City where children from toddlers to preteens get to be active and learn new things all while they play. The playroom sits within an outdoor complex of shops and cafes generally intended for young adults and parents, so an elegant but fun look was the aim for the facade design as well as the interior soft aesthetic, which had a ‘colorful Nordic’ theme. From pastel leathers to natural wooden furniture and toys, the 180sqm playroom is colorful yet elegant. It has a reception where the kids drop off their bags and take off their shoes before they go in to play, and there’s a waiting area for the parents to watch their kids. Once they enter, they can go up the soft play jungle and ride the slides or crawl on the rope-net bridge to the other side of the playroom and go down the other slide into a ball pit.

Swissotel Resort and Residences Çeşme is a transformation project that upcycled the existing 11-storey hotel, which was originally constructed in 1997. Instead of demolishing the building and starting anew, Dilekci Architects aimed to extend the building’s lifespan by retaining as much of the existing structure as possible, thereby minimizing its carbon footprint. By adding a new residential function to the hotel, the project serves as an example of adaptive reuse in architecture, transforming the building not only in the environmental context but also in the urban and social.

Located on the coast of Yucatán, near the Chuburna Mangrove, Casa Manglar emerges as a sanctuary for rest, designed to harmoniously blend with the surrounding nature. This residential project consists of two parts: the main block and a villa, both framed by the vegetation of the environment and the mangrove that extends behind the property. From the terrace, breathtaking views of the mangrove can be enjoyed, where the palette of intense greens merges with the sky and the sea.

During the construction of a warehouse to house materials and workers for the construction of his country house, architect Júnior Piacesi found the opportunity to create a loft in the space to enjoy restful days surrounded by nature, thus the Casa Branca Annex was born.

Villa Arrebol suggests a lifestyle immersed in the natural environment; the transition between the interior and exterior is responsible for generating sensations and reminding us of the qualities of the place we live in. We aimed to translate hotel life into the home’s story, to replicate the vacation feeling we realized that hotel areas are usually separated by open spaces. You have to walk outside and see trees, nature, and the context surrounding the project.

The Xewa Sowé children’s center includes emergency accommodation for 24 children, a food center to ensure self-sufficiency for 30 children, a large vegetable garden, a field of artemisia (an anti-malaria plant), a farm, a kitchen, and a refectory; a public center, accessible to the villagers so that the children are in touch with the community, includes a library, a study room and an office for the administrator. The project is based in Sowé, a rural village in central Benin. The site is on the outskirts of the village; just a few minutes walk from the main square. The plot is crossed diagonally by a side road leading to the fields. The village lies to the southwest of the center. To the east, a laterite road links the site to a motorbike route, which connects the village’s educational institutions with the main town 10km away.