MANAUS, BRAZIL — In an era where modern residential development frequently spells the erasure of native flora, a striking new architectural project in the western zone of Manaus offers a counter-narrative of deep ecological integration. Casa Pupunha, or the Pupunha House, designed by Laurent Troost Architectures with landscaping by Hana Eto Gall Paisagismo, stands as a masterclass in how contemporary residential design can not only coexist with the fragile Amazonian ecosystem but actively honor and preserve it.
Curated for global architecture platform ArchDaily by Susanna Moreira and captured through the lens of architectural photographer Joana França, the project prioritizes a compact, highly efficient footprint that bends to the dictates of the surrounding jungle rather than subduing it.
Main Facts: Architecture Rooted in the Rainforest
At its core, Casa Pupunha is a study in precision, site-sensitivity, and biophilic design. Located within a gated residential condominium adjacent to a permanent environmental protection area (Área de Preservação Permanente), the home is named after the majestic pupunha (peach palm) tree that anchors the exact center of the building lot.
Instead of clearing the land—the standard modus operandi for suburban-style developments globally—the design team made the conscious decision to build around the existing greenery. The central pupunha palm was meticulously preserved throughout the construction process, serving as both a living spatial divider and a poetic focal point for the residence.
Project Name: Casa Pupunha (Pupunha House)
Architectural Firm: Laurent Troost Architectures
Landscape Architecture: Hana Eto Gall Paisagismo
Curator: Susanna Moreira
Photographer: Joana França
Location: Western Zone, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil
Primary Premise: Preservation of existing native vegetation, compact and resource-efficient spatial planning, and a seamless dialogue with the Amazonian landscape.
Chronology of Development: From Concept to Completion
The realization of Casa Pupunha represents a multi-stage convergence of strict environmental regulations, rigorous structural planning, and sensitive landscape curation.
Phase 1: Site Analysis and Protection Strategy (Early Planning)
When Laurent Troost Architectures first approached the lot in the western periphery of Manaus, the immediate challenge was to reconcile the client’s spatial requirements with the strict ecological boundaries of the adjacent permanent environmental protection area. Rather than flattening the undulating terrain, the design team mapped every mature tree on the property. The central pupunha palm emerged as the non-negotiable anchor around which the entire floor plan would revolve.
Phase 2: Compact Footprint and Structural Engineering (Design Iterations)
To minimize soil compaction and root disturbance, the architects opted for a compact, vertical, and highly efficient footprint. This spatial strategy reduced the building’s ground-level footprint (implantação), allowing rainwater to infiltrate the natural soil and safeguarding the subterranean root networks of the surrounding jungle. Structural bays and framing were coordinated down to the centimeter to slide past existing trunks and branches.
Phase 3: Landscape Integration (Hana Eto Gall Paisagismo Intervention)
Once the structural massing was locked in, landscape architect Hana Eto Gall stepped in to curate the transitional zones between indoor living spaces and the untamed Amazonian periphery. Rather than introducing ornamental, non-native species that require intensive irrigation and maintenance, Gall selected a palette of understory plants, ferns, and native palms that echo the adjacent preservation zone. This created a blurred threshold where the man-made deck dissolves directly into the tropical undergrowth.
Phase 4: Final Construction and Documentation (Completion)
The construction phase utilized local timber, durable masonry, and expansive glazing designed to capture natural cross-ventilation and diffused jungle light. Upon completion, architectural photographer Joana França documented the project, capturing how morning mists and dappled sunlight interact with the wooden balconies, open-air staircases, and interior dining spaces. The project was officially released to the public in October 2026.
Supporting Data & Architectural Specifications
The success of Casa Pupunha relies heavily on technical choices that maximize environmental efficiency while maintaining high aesthetic and spatial standards.
Microclimate Management: Manaus features a humid tropical monsoon climate characterized by high temperatures and intense seasonal rainfall. The house combats thermal gain through deep overhangs, extensive cross-ventilation corridors, and vertical shading elements that shield glass surfaces from direct equatorial glare.
Materiality: A sophisticated palette of regional hardwoods, exposed concrete, and lightweight steel framing minimizes the carbon footprint associated with transporting heavy, non-local building materials into the heart of the Amazon basin.
Spatial Efficiency: By stacking programmatic requirements vertically, the design limits the home’s impermeable surface area, maximizing ground-level stormwater absorption and reducing runoff into the municipal drainage network.
Indoor-Outdoor Flow: Balconies and open-air decks act as transitional thermal buffers, allowing inhabitants to experience the tropical climate comfortably without relying exclusively on mechanical air conditioning.
Official Perspectives and Design Philosophy
Laurent Troost, principal of Laurent Troost Architectures, has long championed an architectural approach that respects Brazil’s diverse biomes—particularly the delicate urban-ecological matrix of Manaus. In project statements provided by the firm, the architects emphasized that the project’s primary driver was an ethical commitment to the site.
"With the premise of preserving the existing greenery and creating a compact and efficient residence, the office… designed Casa Pupunha… conceived through a direct dialogue with the Amazonian landscape," the design team noted.
The integration of the pupunha palm goes far beyond mere ornamentation; it acts as a structural and philosophical axis. In Amazonian vernacular traditions, the pupunha is revered for its nutritional fruit and sturdy wood. By placing it at the heart of domestic life, the architects tether the modern urban resident to indigenous ecological wisdom.
Landscape architect Hana Eto Gall reinforced this philosophy, noting that the surrounding vegetation was treated as an "essential part of the architectural concept" rather than an afterthought applied at the end of construction. The landscape acts as a green buffer, filtering air, dampening urban noise from the surrounding condominium roads, and maintaining microclimatic humidity.
Broader Implications for Tropical Architecture
Casa Pupunha arrives at a critical juncture for Brazilian real estate and global tropical architecture. As metropolitan areas like Manaus expand outward, gated communities frequently strip-mine their natural assets, replacing complex rainforest ecosystems with sterile lawns and uniform concrete boxes.
Troost and Gall’s collaborative project proves that density and environmental stewardship are not mutually exclusive. By demonstrating that a luxury residence can be designed around a single tree rather than cutting it down, Casa Pupunha offers a scalable blueprint for sustainable development in sensitive ecosystems worldwide.
Furthermore, the home highlights the shifting role of tropical architecture in the face of climate change. As global temperatures rise, architects can no longer rely on energy-intensive HVAC systems to seal buildings off from the environment. Instead, projects like Casa Pupunha point toward a regenerative future—one where architecture behaves like an organism, breathing with its context, protecting its natural host, and demonstrating that human habitation and ecological preservation can exist in profound, functional harmony.
