Beautifully Chaotic Caquinhos Tile Grounds This Small Apartment Renovation in Brazil

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Project Details:

Location: São Paulo, Brazil

Architect: COTA760 Architecture / @cota760.arq

Footprint: 754 square feet

Photographer: Leila Viegas / @leila.viegas

From the Architect: "The Caquinhos Apartment, designed by COTA760 Arquitetura, is the renovation of an existing apartment located in the Vila Madalena neighborhood of São Paulo, Brazil. The project reinterprets traditional elements of Brazilian architecture to construct a contemporary domestic space rooted in memory, materiality, and everyday use. The renovation marks a new chapter in the lives of its owners, a young couple who recently moved from the city of São Paulo to the countryside while maintaining this apartment as a base when they return to the city. This transitional condition informed the architectural approach, guiding the creation of a more open and flexible environment capable of supporting dynamic stays while preserving a sense of comfort and familiarity.

"One of the main transformations of the project occurred through the reconfiguration of the apartment’s layout. Strategic demolitions between the living room and the kitchen opened space for a broader and more continuous social area, allowing natural light to reach the collective spaces more generously. The kitchen, previously compartmentalized, now becomes an active part of the apartment’s daily life, while the living area gains spatial continuity and new possibilities for use. The living, dining, and kitchen areas are organized as an integrated sequence of spaces that strengthens the role of the social core of the apartment. The living room maintains a more neutral palette and incorporates the residents’ preexisting furniture.

"Materiality plays a central role in the identity of the project. From the early stages of design, the clients’ references pointed toward materials associated with memory and affect, interpreted through contemporary solutions suitable for everyday living. Two elements deeply connected to São Paulo’s architectural culture, ceramic cobogó blocks and caquinhos tiles, became the defining components of the project. In the kitchen, these elements are organized as a strong and expressive terra-cotta-toned nucleus that structures the space. The cobogó blocks filter views and create subtle transitions between environments, while the caquinhos floor introduces texture and reinforces the tactile quality of the interior. The brushed red Brasília granite countertop completes this composition, reinforcing the chromatic unity of the space and establishing the kitchen as the central element of the apartment.

"Throughout the project, cobogó blocks also operate as spatial interfaces between different functions. Between the kitchen and the laundry area, they allow natural light and cross ventilation to circulate while creating a lightweight visual separation. The laundry remains open and functional, with the cobogós partially concealing the area without completely isolating it from the rest of the apartment. Positioned alongside the kitchen island, the built-in cabinetry works as a transitional element between the kitchen and the living room. The design carefully aligns with the cobogó elements and the granite countertop, creating precise junctions that reinforce spatial continuity.

"Warm and earthy tones continue the chromatic language of the social spaces, while simple geometries emphasize the material qualities of each element. Across the apartment, the tiles and blocks appear not merely as finishes but as constructive and spatial devices that shape the identity of the project. Their textures, colors, and rhythms evoke references to popular Brazilian houses built between the 1940s and 1960s, bringing collective memories into dialogue with contemporary domestic life."