After living in the urban core of Rio de Janeiro for many years, the owner couple wanted a secluded hideaway to retreat from the distractions of city life. The primary design goal was to make the house as small as possible within its tropical jungle setting that rises into the rainforest canopy.

Essentially a steel-and-glass box, the house hovers above the land supported structurally by two concrete piers, one of which also functions as an indoor/outdoor fireplace. Tucked into the juçara palm and cariniana trees on the 3.1-acre site, the north end of the home contains a single bedroom while the south end opens to views of city, the sea, and Rio’s famous Christ the Redeemer statue. On the ground plane below, a screened porch and outdoor kitchenette allow the owners to engage the landscape.