Sabella Arquitetura Integrates Gridded Glulam Roof and Tropical Atriums in Expansive São Paulo Hillside Residence

Sabella Arquitetura designs Casa Colmeia in Brazil, featuring a 1,600sqm L-shaped layout under a distinctive gridded glulam timber roof.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 8, 2026, 4:52 PM EDT

Source: The information in this article was sourced from Dezeen

Architectural Response to Topographical Challenges

Located in the wooded hills of Porto Feliz, Casa Colmeia is a low-lying architectural intervention designed to navigate a complex, trapezoidal plot. Sabella Arquitetura addressed the site’s steep slope and less-than-ideal southern orientation by positioning the residence on the highest plateau. The house is structured as a "grounded" volume, utilizing an L-shaped configuration that creates a strong horizontal profile. This layout effectively bisects the terrain into two distinct plateaus, creating a sense of privacy and stability against the privileged, but challenging, southern views.

The Gridded Glulam Roof: A Structural Signature

The defining characteristic of the 1,600-square-metre home is its glued-laminated timber (glulam) roof. Constructed on a precise 90-by-90-centimetre grid, the roof acts as a unifying element that shelters both the interior living quarters and the expansive external terraces. Supported by slender steel columns, the exposed timber grid provides a warm, rhythmic ceiling throughout the social areas. Strategic openings in the grid function as skylights, positioned specifically above internal courtyards to filter natural light into the deeper recesses of the floor plan.

Zoning and Interior Organization

The upper level of the home is dedicated to primary living and social functions. Perpendicular to the main social wing—which houses the living, dining, and kitchen areas—is a dedicated wing for bedrooms. The social spaces are demarcated by two distinct concrete volumes that house functional elements including a fireplace, bathroom, and wine storage. These heavy concrete masses contrast with the transparency of the glazed exterior walls, which open directly onto a swimming pool terrace and the surrounding tropical landscape.