Casa de Vidro (Glass House) by Lina Bo Bardi

By PCPetrachini - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0

Casa de Vidro (Glass House) by Lina Bo Bardi, completed in 1951 in São Paulo, Brazil, is both a residence and a manifesto. Designed by the Italian-born, Brazilian architect as her own home, it hovers lightly above the lush forest on slender stilts, with transparent walls that dissolve the boundary between inside and outside.

Lina Bo Bardi, originally from Italy, became a central figure in Brazilian modern architecture after settling in São Paulo, the city where she chose to build her life. At a time when the profession was largely male, she distinguished herself as a leading woman in the field. Across Brazil’s urban landscapes, many of her groundbreaking designs continue to stand out as widely admired landmarks.

The house reflects Lina Bo Bardi’s visionary belief that modern architecture should be open, humane, and in dialogue with its environment. Its floating glass living space, combined with a more grounded stone wing, creates a balance between lightness and solidity, innovation and tradition.

Casa de Vidro became not only the architect’s retreat but also a cultural salon, hosting artists, thinkers, and friends, embodying her conviction that a home can be both a sanctuary and a stage for creative exchange. Today, it stands as an enduring symbol of how visionary living embraces transparency, community, and harmony with nature.