Through the looking glass

  CASA LENS BY OBRA ARQUITETOS 

Casa Lens in Portuguese 

or in English The Lens House. 

CASA LENS BY OBRA ARQUITETOS 

Through the looking glass is the sequel to Alice´s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carrol. The name 

Casa Lens that Obra Arquitetos, which is the name of the Brazilian architect firm that has created this astonishing home centered around this remarkable curved glass had me thinking of the novel from 1871.  

CASA LENS BY OBRA ARQUITETOS 

This multifaceted more than modern house is built for a couple with the idea of providing 

a contemplative and 

reflective space. 

This goal was approached 

in two ways:

CASA LENS BY OBRA ARQUITETOS 

1

The first on a more intimate scale. The whole house is organized around a small patio with varying levels. 

This internal patio allows visual contact between the environments of the house, bringing the residents closer together. 

Nature, on this small scale, can be observed according to the variations of the seasons.

CASA LENS BY OBRA ARQUITETOS 

A curved glass was designed so that the space of the patio had no segmentation at its edges and the space could be observed 

through this lens.

CASA LENS BY OBRA ARQUITETOS 

2

The second way considered the 

scale of the landscape. 

CASA LENS BY OBRA ARQUITETOS 

Casa Lens has a wide view of the Serra da Mantiqueira. 

CASA LENS BY OBRA ARQUITETOS 

Starting from the most intimate interior dimension, traveling almost in a spiral, you can climb the garden staircase and observe the amplitude of the landscape.

CASA LENS BY OBRA ARQUITETOS 

Serra da Mantiqueira  is present in the garden of the house. 

THE MANTIQUEIRA MOUNTAINS 
 (Portuguese: Serra da Mantiqueira) are a mountain range in Southeastern Brazil, with parts in the states of Sao Paulo, Minas Gerais and Rio de Janeiro. It rises abruptly from the northwestern bank of the Paraíba do Sul River and extends northeastward for approximately 320 km (200 mi), reaching a height of 2,798 m (9,180 ft) at Pedra da Minha. The name Mantiqueira derives from Tupi word meaning:

"MOUNTAINS THAT CRY"
denoting the large number of springs and streams found there. 
The name shows the range's great importance as a source of drinking water, and the waters supply a great number of important cities in the southeast of Brazil. 

CASA LENS BY OBRA ARQUITETOS 

The bedrooms seen from the inner garden. 

CASA LENS BY OBRA ARQUITETOS 

The bedrooms seen from outside and the bespoke staircase connecting the levels of Casa Lens. 

CASA LENS BY OBRA ARQUITETOS 

Below you see the original drawings from 

Obra Architects of the Casa Lens located in Sao Paolo, Brazil. 

CASA LENS BY OBRA ARQUITETOS 

The front view does not reveal so much and provides a great parking space below the house with a staircase leading up to the central courtyard. 

CASA LENS BY OBRA ARQUITETOS 

All the levels are understood in this view of the 

asian influenced center courtyard. 

CASA LENS BY OBRA ARQUITETOS 

Planting grass on the roof of the house provides a 

garden feeling to Casa Lens although

 the building takes almost the whole area of the lot. 

CASA LENS BY OBRA ARQUITETOS 

Through the looking glass of this spectacular curved window of 

Casa Lens that to me is one of the most inspiring homes I have seen in a very long time I recommend you to listen to : 

SR Swedish Radio STIL i P1

and the program STIL in Swedish where they look into why we are so obsessed with checking what it looks like at our neighbor or seeing how people over all decorate their homes. 

All over the world we love seeing the homes of others. 

I do. Do you? 

Stay  in touch 

Jimmy