Casa Lacerda is a 19th century building and listed by the National Historical and Artistic Heritage Institute (IPHAN) in 1938. The building is located in the south of Brazil, more precisely in the city of Lapa, in Paraná. The residence was owned by the merchant Manoel José Corrêa de Lacerda.
The competition, launched in October 2019, was promoted by IPHAN itself and organized by the Paraná State Department of the Institute of Architects of Brazil (IAB-PR). The competition aimed to develop a preliminary building annex project to enhence the current museological use of Casa Lacerda. The program proposed by the competition required, among other things: administrative spaces, toilets, library, exhibition space, souvenir shop and kitchen.
Usually, interventions in historical heritage are divided into two strategies: exact copy of the pre-existing construction characteristics or total break with the formal and plastic pattern. The project does not adopt any of these alternatives in a decisive way, it was opted for a balanced solution between the recurring strategies.
The facade facing Casa Lacerda has plastered walls painted with the same of the existing building, as well as using a roof with identical technology. The opposite façade has an abstract and singular formal solution. The result is an ensemble in harmony with the existing building, but at the same time it also clearly presents itself as a contemporary construction. The building is cohesive and functions naturally incorporated into Casa Lacerda, emphasizing its architectural characteristics in a way that is both subtle and forceful.
The new construction is semi-buried and does not obstruct the view from the House. The ground floor of the annex building is set at level -5.2, resulting in a level difference in relation to the Francisco Brito de Lacerda crosswalk, enabling comfortable heights on both floors that accommodate the activities planned for the new building without any visual obstruction for the visitors of the House. The adoption of a small patio adjoining the historic patio and the accommodation of the gregarious activities around it greatly increases the contact area between the new and the old, making the circulation between the natural and inviting. different areas. This patio was carefully designed to serve both the second floor and the ground floor, also allowing for small informal presentations due to the bleachers made possible by its conformation.
The “H” shape of the proposal for Casa Lacerda allows the building to be internally lit in all orientations, all work areas and permanence in the building have openings that allow the entry of natural light, reducing the need for artificial light. In the exhibition area, a slit in the slab allows for natural lighting of the space. Eaves and awnings on the facades allow controlling the incidence of sun in the summer, reducing the need for air conditioning, helping to maintain thermal comfort inside the building and decreasing the demand for electricity. The use of materials, components, inputs and special construction techniques was avoided. Preference was given to conventional materials and techniques that do not use specialized labor, facilitating the maintenance processes of the constructed work. The fact that the proposal is semi-buried (taking into account the original profile of the land), does not interrupt the wind to flow and avoids excessive shading in the implantation terrain and neighbors of the direct surroundings.
