In the forest the horizon is inverted as the search for energy and sunlight leads the trees to grow vertically. This principle, inspired Atelier Marko Brajovic to design an observatory in Paraty, southern Brazil.
Like the Juçara – an endemic palm tree in the Atlantic Forest that provides stability to its tall, slender trunk through anchor-shaped roots – the architects build their house on a series of dense, slender pillars. Interlocking wooden components build a vertical, diamond-shaped structure soaring towards the sky. A shaped galvalume shell and thermal-acoustic insulation closes off the structure on two sides, whereas the other two are transparent in an open and direct exchange with the forest. In plan, Monkey House is divided in two; the staircase and services on one side and the rooms on the other. Two side terraces encourage cross-ventilation, while a generous covered terrace on the top floor creates a multifunctional space for studying, meditation and sport. Bamboo wood envelops the inner spaces furnished with pieces of indigenous Guarani craftsmanship and curtains made from the fishing nets of local communities.