London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Sep 04, 2025

This Energy-Efficient Prefab in Brazil Can Be Easily Expanded for More Space

This Energy-Efficient Prefab in Brazil Can Be Easily Expanded for More Space

In a one-size-fits-all home design concept, Bernardes Arquitetura has developed modular glulam-beam structures that can be added onto ad infinitum.

From Bernardes Arquitectura and construction company Ita Construtora is Pipa House, a prefab concept designed to meet an array of clients’ needs. Its modular units allow for custom arrangements, and, as prefab, each design can be created and installed relatively quickly with minimal waste.



According to Bernardes Arquitetura, the key points of the design of Pipa House are modularity, quality, sustainability, adaptability, and materiality.

Here, Bernardes’s prototype consists of three main volumes connected by a hallway that runs the length of the structure. The largest volume houses the kitchen and a large open-plan living/dining area, where full-height sliding glass doors open to the surroundings, making for bright and airy interiors.

Down the hallway are two smaller volumes of equal size, each containing a bedroom with sliders that open onto a deck. If more bedrooms are desired, simply add more modules.



In addition to a main volume which houses the kitchen and a living/dining area, two smaller modules contain a bedroom each.



Full-height sliding doors open the home to the surrounds, flooding the space with air and natural light.

"For the design of Pipa House, it was very important for us that the final composition of all the prefab pieces created an atmosphere of home," explains architect Rafael Oliveira, one of the firm’s partners. "We were seeking to enhance the use of natural materials in a way that would remind us of a more simple way of living."



The open-plan living/dining space showcases the structure’s use of locally sourced eucalyptus.



The interior consists of a neutral palette with an emphasis on natural materials.



The design is elevated above the ground to ensure water tightness and provide ventilation for the floor slab.

The concept relies on a structural system of eucalyptus glulam beams that allows the design to be implemented in a variety of site conditions. With an elevated plan, the home is less prone to groundwater, and utilities distributed underneath the floor slab are more easily accessed.



The three volumes are connected by a hallway that runs the length of the structure.



Two of the modules contain a bedroom each with full-height glass sliders that open onto a covered terrace.

Each module contains an HVAC system that can be operated independently, making the home more energy efficient. External walls are constructed from prefabricated concrete panels and full-height glass sliders, with a ventilated facade system that ensures minimal maintenance and high thermal insulation.



The prototype can be customized to suit homeowners’ needs-for more space, simply add modules.



A covered porch runs the length of the main volume, providing some protection from the elements. Steps off the main living space lead to wood decking and a swimming pool.



Pipa House Floor Plan



Front Elevation of Pipa House



Side Elevation of Pipa House

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Putin Celebrates ‘Unprecedentedly High’ Ties with China as Gazprom Seals Power of Siberia-2 Deal
China Unveils New Weapons in Grand Military Parade as Xi Hosts Putin and Kim
Queen Camilla’s Teenage Courage: Fended Off Attempted Assault on London Train, New Biography Reveals
Scottish Brothers Set Record in Historic Pacific Row
Rapper Cardi B Cleared of Liability in Los Angeles Civil Assault Trial
Google Avoids Break-Up in U.S. Antitrust Case as Stocks Rise
Couple celebrates 80th wedding anniversary at assisted living facility in Lancaster
Information Warfare in the Age of AI: How Language Models Become Targets and Tools
The White House on LinkedIn Has Changed Their Profile Picture to Donald Trump
"Insulted the Prophet Muhammad": Woman Burned Alive by Angry Mob in Niger State, Nigeria
Trump Responds to Death Rumors – Announces 'Missile City'
Court of Appeal Allows Asylum Seekers to Remain at Essex Hotel Amid Local Tax Boycott Threats
Germany in Turmoil: Ukrainian Teenage Girl Pushed to Death by Illegal Iraqi Migrant
United Krack down on human rights: Graham Linehan Arrested at Heathrow Over Three X Posts, Hospitalised, Released on Bail with Posting Ban
Asian and Middle Eastern Investors Avoid US Markets
Ray Dalio Warns of US Shift to Autocracy
Eurozone Inflation Rises to 2.1% in August
Russia and China Sign New Gas Pipeline Deal
China's Robotics Industry Fuels Export Surge
Suntory Chairman Resigns After Police Probe
Gold Price Hits New All-Time Record
Von der Leyen's Plane Hit by Suspected Russian GPS Interference in an Incident Believed to Be Caused by Russia or by Pro-Peace or by Anti-Corruption European Activists
UK Fintechs Explore Buying US Banks
Greece Suspends 5% of Schools as Birth Rate Drops
Apollo to Launch $5 Billion Sports Investment Vehicle
Bolsonaro Trial Nears Close Amid US-Brazil Tension
European Banks Push for Lower Cross-Border Barriers
Poland's Offshore Wind Sector Attracts Investors
Nvidia Reveals: Two Mystery Customers Account for About 40% of Revenue
Woody Allen: "I Would Be Happy to Direct Trump Again in a Film"
Pickles are the latest craze among Generation Z in the United States.
Deadline Day Delivers Record £125m Isak Move and Donnarumma to City
Nestlé Removes CEO Laurent Freixe Following Undisclosed Relationship with Subordinate
Giuliani Seriously Injured in Accident – Trump to Award Him the Presidential Medal of Freedom
EU is getting aggressive: Four AfD Candidates Die Unexpectedly Ahead of North Rhine-Westphalia Local Elections
Lula and Putin Hold Strategic BRICS Discussions Ahead of Trump–Putin Summit
WhatsApp is rolling out a feature that looks a lot like Telegram.
Investigations Reveal Rise in ‘Sex-for-Rent’ Listings Across Canada Exploiting Vulnerable Tenants
Chinese and Indian Leaders Pursue Amity Amid Global Shifts
European Union Plans for Ukraine Deployment
ECB Warns Against Inflation Complacency
Concerns Over North Cyprus Casino Development
Shipping Companies Look Beyond Chinese Finance
Rural Exodus Fueling European Wildfires
China Hosts Major Security Meeting
Chinese Police Successfully Recover Family's Savings from Livestream Purchases
Germany Marks a Decade Since Migrant Wave with Divisions, Success Stories, and Political Shifts
Liverpool Defeat Arsenal 1–0 with Szoboszlai Free-Kick to Stay Top of Premier League
Prince Harry and King Charles to Meet in First Reunion After 20 Months
Chinese Stock Market Rally Fueled by Domestic Investors
×