The renovation project for the HL Apartment, located in São Paulo, Brazil seeks, through few materials and a variety of texture, the balance between interior and exterior, highlighting the greenery that surrounds the building and is framed by a large window alongside the living space. The project revisits many of the discussion, solutions and ideas that were previously addressed on a smaller scale (a renovation of a 33sqm apartment). The main of which would be the use of a single neutral material on different surfaces and in different forms to create a neutral base upon which furniture and objects could be displayed and used.

The client brief specified the need for three full suites where the original configuration of the apartment only had two. To do so the design intervention focused most of the remodeling on the utility spaces (kitchen and laundry rooms) to guarantee this addition without sacrificing any social area. Although these areas were completely transformed the new layout managed to preserve natural lighting and ventilation in all rooms. 

In the living and dining room, white stained oak panels placed on the walls and ceiling that change throughout the day according to how light filters through the canopy outside, hides storage spaces and passages and presents a canvas for a mixture of contemporary and midcentury Brazilian furniture. All of which are arranged to create spaces of gathering and individual reflection. In keep with the living room, the bedrooms, bathrooms, and kitchen are painted in neutral off-white colors. In each of these rooms, a single element is selected and breaks from the monochromatic palette. In the kitchen this happens in the bespoke cabinetry built in natural oak and in the bathrooms through different colored and textured marbles. 

The design aims to celebrate materials and craftmanship. Skilled workmanship and collaboration were needed to create a single cohesive result that hides its own complexity. The use of a single material throughout the apartment showcases its versatility while creating different atmospheres.