Thoughts of concrete often bring to mind sidewalks and foundations.  Occasionally we hear about concrete counter spaces or concrete sinks, but to think of a home made entirely of concrete is a totally different story. The Sao Paolo based Leme House boasts exactly that.  It’s interior and exterior design is made almost entirely of concrete, creating a neutral feel that’s slightly industrial but also sophisticated and modern.

The main living space features a double high ceiling height with an open glass skylight with concrete beams and a wide staircase that connects the first floor with a mezzanine type second level.  The connecting staircase is the only structural piece of the lower level that stands out in terms of color.  Its white steps ascend to the top level where there’s a lighter whitish floor and white beams.

Everything else in the home though, is colored like the natural gray of concrete.  The areas of the home that connect to the outdoors cast a dramatic feel against the green, grown in landscape and transition areas that blur the lines between the indoors and out.

Massive skylights on the home’s perimeter give light to reading rooms while concrete doors connect the transitional areas to a luscious outdoor space that features a pool and overall native feel.

While the all concrete design may sound cold and depressing, the Leme House achieves a surprisingly comfortable and livable feel, not to mention the fact that the concrete construction keeps the home’s carbon footprint at a minimum.

Architect: Mendes da Rocha

Photography by Richard Powers

Posted by Lauren Proctor at 25 August, 2010

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