A Mesmerizing Pool Dominates This Brazilian Home

A pool with panoramic glass walls becomes an alluring work of art in this Brazilian apartment.

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When a couple approached São Paulo–based Fernanda Marques Arquitetos Associados to redesign their duplex apartment, they were seeking a design versatile and minimalist enough to accommodate their ever-growing art collection and have it harmoniously blend into the interior concept.

With expansive glass walls, the surrounding outdoor setting appears a stunning work of art.

"The owner works in the financial market and is a keen art collector," explains Fernanda Marques, the founder of the firm. "He owns works by artists I greatly admire, such as Ernesto Neto, Edgard de Souza, Manoel Rio Branco, Zerbini, and Tunga. These works speak directly to the issue of space, hence the importance of their placement in the project."

A peek at the gallery space in the duplex.

One of the most striking features in the 5,135-square-feet home is the glass-walled swimming pool. Sited in the exterior garden, it goes across the front and center of the living room to create an aquarium-like wall.

The narrow, elongated pool with a vertical green wall can be seen from inside the apartment.

The interior section above the pool is fitted with two expansive glass walls that frame the surrounding greenery.

The furniture has been selected to complement the artwork around the duplex.

For Marques, building the pool structure was the most challenging part of the renovation project. To achieve the result she desired, she used a very thick, imported glass, which required the help of specialists to install.

Stairs lead up from the garden to the pool and deck.

A look at one of the painting that hangs on the glass wall.

"Looking back, I think it was well worth it. Neither the owners nor I can imagine the apartment without the pool. To a certain extent, I think the pool provided the home with another work of art," she says.

The color and sculptural form of the dining table also complements the art on the walls.

Marques has also designed the lighting in order to enhance the artworks within the apartment. In a gallery space on the lower level, she has placed a single track-lighting rail above the paintings and sculptures to ensure they are lit in just the right way.