House Calumbi, designed by Amanda Neuberger in Lençóis, Brazil, is a 140-square-meter residence that harmonizes architecture with its natural surroundings in the Chapada Diamantina region. Built on steep terrain between the cerrado and caatinga ecosystems, the house minimizes land alteration by dividing its spaces into two staggered blocks connected by a light-filled central staircase. Using local stone, reclaimed materials, and traditional craftsmanship, the project celebrates regional culture while integrating sustainable systems such as rainwater harvesting, solar power, and natural ventilation. The result is a self-sufficient home that respects the landscape and redefines rural living through ecological balance and cultural continuity.
Architects: Amanda Neuberger Area: 140 m² Year: 2023 Photographs: Paula Mussi Lead Architect: Amanda Neuberger Reuse Consulting: Arquivo Master Builder: Luís Sérgio City: Lençóis Country: Brazil
Nestled in the rural outskirts of Lencois, in Brazil's Chapada Diamantina region,
House Columbi sits quietly between two contrasting ecosystems, the Cerrado and the Catinga.
This unique landscape, defined by rolling hills, deep valleys, and resilient vegetation,
faces long dry seasons and brief, intense rains. Within this challenging environment,
the architects sought not only to build a home,
but to design a system that lives in balance with nature.
The project embraces autonomy. It uses sustainable strategies that respond to the
rhythm of this land's systems for harvesting, reusing, and conserving water, all tailored
to the region's unpredictable climate. Here, architecture becomes a form of adaptation,
a way of coexisting with the terrain rather than resisting it.
Positioned on steep terrain with open views of the surrounding hills,
the house naturally blends into its topography. Instead of reshaping the earth,
the design divides the program into two main blocks, social and private, placed at different
levels. This subtle split minimizes land movement and keeps the natural contours intact, while a
central staircase connects the two wings through a bright vertical void illuminated by a translucent
combined with ceramic block masonry. Yet what makes it special are the regional materials.
Local stone and solid brick, arranged in perforated patterns reminiscent of cabogos,
bring texture, ventilation, and a play of light that animates the interior throughout the day.
Stone, in particular, becomes a defining element, a link between the home and the landscape. Its use
recalls the traditional craftsmanship of the Chapata region, once known for mining and
prospecting. In House Columbi, stone is not only structure and finish. It's a gesture of continuity,
connecting the architecture to the region's cultural memory.
Another key aspect of the project is its creative reuse of materials.
In collaboration with Arquivo, the team curated salvaged elements from demolished
buildings in Salvador, from old window frames and stairs to ceilings and floors.
These reclaimed pieces bring character and authenticity to the space,
turning sustainability into a tactile and emotional experience.
The house also integrates several self-sufficient systems, from rainwater harvesting and
biodigester sewage treatment to photovoltaic panels and solar heating. Together with passive
strategies like cross ventilation and zenithal lighting, these elements reduce energy consumption
and maintain comfort naturally, proving that sustainability can be both technical and poetic.
Ultimately, House Columbi is more than a rural retreat. It's a dialogue between architecture
and territory, a home that honors the wisdom of local builders, embraces recycled materials,
and stands as a quiet statement of ecological respect. It invites us to imagine how modern
design can reconnect with the land, not by dominating it, but by learning to live within its rhythm.
