The vernacular window: direct descendent of Lina Bo Bardi

With the challenge of honouring the footprint of times gone by as Lina Bo Bardi did, the Bosch.Capdeferro Arquitectura studio showed us this incredible scene, which would be the fundamental basis of their project. We were challenged to create a window that would be able to pay homage to Lina’s legacy, which is recognised by the preservation of the footprint of time, highlighting it without altering the existing window recess.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lina, the renowned Italian architect, found a way to infuse humanity into the modern architecture of her time. She valued the imperfections and richness of local culture, taking care to preserve the legacy of past generations. Her architectural philosophy is showcased in the SESC Cultural Centre de Pompéia, a rehabilitation of the old oil drum factory in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Here, irregular windows and emblematic routes have transformed this space into a dynamic community centre for leisure, culture and sport.

 

 

 

 

We liked the architects’ proposal so much that we didn’t hesitate for a second to get down to work and come up with a prototype that respected the essence and personality of the existing window opening. Each stroke, intersection and line were carefully studied to achieve the overall objective: to achieve a window invisible from the outside, framing the untouched recess from the inside. And with a modification of our AX Ferro system, we achieved it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The first step was to screw in the lower window brackets. Two ten-millimetre thick metal plates, fixed to the wall, served as support points to level and support the lower part of the window.

 

 

 

 

The metal structure, a four-millimetre-thick galvanised steel folded sheet, was built in our workshop. For ease of installation, the window frame was fixed directly to the metal frame before leaving the workshop. Once on site, it was first fitted with the lower brackets until it was completely raised and bolted to the wall around its entire perimeter.

 

 

 

 

With the structure in place, all that remained was to assemble the leaf with the frame, with the frames concealed at the bottom and top of the leaf itself.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Without forgetting the necessary performance requirements, a customised gutter was designed to evacuate water from possible rainwater runoff from outside.

 

 

 

 

This innovation in the product allowed us to preserve the character and personality of the old farmhouse, fulfilling the aims and objectives of the architects.

 

 

 

 

In a world where industry is all-encompassing, it is essential to move away from standardisation, just as Lina did in her time. A visionary approach that balances tradition with today’s technology makes all the difference. We claim that craftsmanship and cultural heritage can and must coexist with the most advanced technology of our time. Isn’t it poetic to be able to view the mark left by the past, now embraced by an innovative and state-of-the-art element?