Selection of academic, professional and conceptual projects developed by Bruno Ferolla +55 ( 31) 99706-0550
brunoferolla@outlook.com
@brunoferolla.arquitetura
Bruno Ferolla is from Belo Horizonte, Brazil, and graduated in Architecture and Urbanism in June of 2017. As a young architect, he had the opportunity to collaborate with many different design practices, even internationally, experimenting the process of a rich range of project scales - from furniture and product design to urban planning, with special focus on small to medium scale architectural projects and renovations. Bruno strongly believes in the cyclic relationship between people and architecture: we can improve and transform our habitat, and our spaces have the potential to dignify and provide a better and egalitarian life to its users.
EDUCATION
Centro Universitário Izabela Hendrix
Architecture and Urbanism Bachelor, 2011-17
COURSES & WORKSHOPS
Neuroarchitecture Institute (IBNARQ)
Neuroarchitecture Congress, 2019
Uni-BH / Tetro Arquitetura
Alternative Academic Project, 2019
SOFTWARES
AutoCAD ArchiCAD SketchUp V-Ray
Twinmotion Lumion Photoshop InDesign
Florence Institute of Design International (Italy)
Summer Architecture Course, 2014
Escola Guignard (UEMG)
Graphite Drawing, 2019
Escola de Imagem
Photography, 2009
LANGUAGES
Fluent
Portuguese, English
Basic
Italian, French, Japanese
WORK EXPERIENCE
Carol Horta Arquitetura
Architectural Coordinator, 2024-Current
Play Arquitetura
Architectural Coordinator, 2021-2024
Ana Bahia Arquitetura
Architect, 2021
Minas Kosmidis Architects (Greece)
Architect, 2020
Leto Empreendimentos
Urban Planner, 2020
Joana Renault Arquitetura
Architect, 2018-20
PORTFOLIO CONTENT
Casa GR
A family home in the woods a designed to preserve natural vegetation with an important relation between the indoors and outdoors.
Beach House
A comfortable holiday home located on a beautiful northeast Brazilian coast with independent suites.
Mixed-use Building
The project for a vertical building with a variety of apartment typologies, a commercial area and an inviting public space.
Art Exhibition Design
Project for a visual arts exhibition that took place in Belo Horizonte, by the end of 2024.
Juliana Vasconcellos Studio
Architect, 2016-19
BCMF Arquitetos
Architectural Intern, 2014-15
Pomorskie Biuro Projéktow GEL (Poland)
Architectural Intern, 2014
Vasconcellos Maia Arquitetos Associados
Architectural Intern, 2013-14
Ópera Studio
Architectural Intern, 2012-13
Art Centre
An art complex for art students, professionals and admirers with underground exhibition galleries and spaces dedicated to different types of art.
Apartment Renovation
The complete renovation of a severely deteriorated apartment of a 1950’s building, turning it into an inviting and comfortable home.
Café & Co-working
A space for gathering, working and resting with a large inner garden in the middle of a dense urban area.
Casa GR
Situated within a natural setting approximately an hour from the city of Belo Horizonte, this project is a two-story house spanning approximately 420 square meters. The ground floor encompasses the social area and two main suites, while the guest rooms, garage, and service area are located on the lower level. Designed to harmonize with the natural vegetation of the surroundings, the house allows for the seamless integration of indoor and outdoor spaces. Special attention has been given to promoting cross-ventilation, achieved by the ability to open and retract doors, ensuring a perfect balance between the interior and exterior environments. The property embraces the tranquility of its natural setting while offering a thoughtful and spacious living experience.
Positioned on a lot with a distinct orientation, the rear faces a preserved area, connecting the property to nature. Bedrooms open to the east for privacy and morning sunlight, while the social areas and pool face west, optimizing exposure to daylight and warmth throughout the day.
Beach House
Located in the woods near a paradisiacal beach in the Peninsula of Maraú, northeast coast of Brazil, this project is vacation one-story house for a family but also serves as a business of short-term rentals, which was the main reason for all of the rooms of the house being accessed independently through a wooden deck that surrounds the pool. Each bedroom has its own bathroom and there is a separated barbecue area to be enjoyed by the guests. The building structure is mixed type and the roof has a soft inclination with long eaves that are combined with the high ceiling and crossed ventilation that allows the interior to be fresh in the hot temperature of the region.
The house’s position in the site was decided considering the preservation of the rich native vegetation and it forms an inviting and protective “U” shape. The same strategy was used in a smaller scale for the outdoors fireplace. It was also placed on the higher and back part of the site in order to have abundant space for a front yard and a beautiful free view from every part of the house. For the privacy and luminosity control of the bedrooms, the façade is covered with vertical spaced wooden slats that can be folded or closed as the guests prefer.
Mixed-use Building
Residential and commercial spaces are mixed in this academic proposal, named Edifício Monte Cassino. The type of commerce should be chosen by the student and the apartments should present flexibility for the internal division. The urban context is a dense mixed-used area, with tall commercial and residential buildings and variable street market. Since the area is highly populated by residents and workers during all periods of the day, the project uses part of the site for public space, with the horizontal volume of the building representing a small scale street-level commerce, so people would be stimulated to walk through with better urban quality and stay longer, creating a richer and safer environment - ideas based in Gehl, Jacobs and Hertzberger. The vertical volume is for the residential use. For the structure, a reinforced concrete core containing the staircase and elevators in the center of the building with the apartments around without columns inside. The internal division of the apartments are in dry-wall.
FLOOR PLAN TYPE A
FLOOR PLAN TYPE B
FLOOR PLAN TYPE C
HIDDEN SLIDING PANELS RAIL WITH CEMENT FINISHING SEE DETAIL
PASTED AND PAINTED CEILING
IRON FRAMED GLASS DOORS WITH BRUSHED FINISHING
PERFORATED METALLIC SLIDING PANELS WITH ELETROSTATIC WHITE MATTE PAINTING
TEMPERED GLASS RAILING WITH NEUTRAL COLOUR HEIGHT OF 95 cm
CEMENT FLOORING
REINFORCED CONCRETE SLAB
BOARD WITH CEMENT FINISHING
REINFORCED CONCRETE SLAB SLIDING PANELS STRUCTURE IN STEEL BEAM
BOARD WITH CEMENT FINISHING
HIDDEN RAILS
EXPANSION JOINT
PASTED AND PAINTED CEILING
PERFORATED METALLIC SLIDING PANELS WITH ELETROSTATIC WHITE MATTE PAINTING
HOLES 20 ø
The top four floors feature duplex apartments with light-filled spaces. The mezzanine houses the bedroom and study, while the social area is on the lower floor.
SLIDING PANELS DETAILS
AXONOMETRIC
1. The pilotis is used to create a shaded area that stimulates the feeling of semi-public space between the square and the pedestrian entrance of the residential part of the building.
2. 56% of the project’s site was dedicated to the public use with the creation of a square with stores where people can walk, shop and rest. The stair were inspired by the one in front of the Basilica Santo Spirito in Florence, Italy.
3. Perforated sliding white metal panels: applied to the east and west façades, these panels filter the strong sun light during the day and let the artificial light pass through the night. The possibility to slide brings the concept of flexibility also for the façade.
4. The medium-sized trees in the green roof work as natural fences between the private pool area of the building and the neighbours.
5. The lower level of the site was used for the commercial garage and it offers a better manoeuvre area. It is also positioned as a more discreet part of the projects, but still near the stores.
Art Exhibition Design
Project developed for the visual arts exhibition “O corpo que tenho” (“The Body I Have”), by artist Rafael Fernandes Alves, that happened during October and November of 2024 at the BDMG Cultural Centre, in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. In terms of design, the gallery’s broad aspect was taken into account, allowing the drawings to be viewed from different angles and distances, in order to construct a visual narrative that would invite visitors to observe the similarities between each of the drawings, even though they were made over different years and do not necessarily represent the same objects. In this sense, the exhibition design was developed very closely with the curation of the works presented.
Photography: Dinele Coelho.
Art Centre
The Santa Tereza Art Centre is the concept for an art complex located in the city centre of Belo Horizonte, Brazil. The spaces were conceived both for different types of art making, art studies and art exhibitions. Disposed in four buildings, the complex includes a theatre, a café, a library, and the main building with the classrooms. The buildings are disposed around a water mirror meant to be a contemplation and gathering space for artists and visitors. The underground floor contains the main exhibition gallery, photography studios, staff area and it connects the theatre to the main building.
A round 19 meter of diamater water mirror in the centre symbolizes creativity and it’s bottom is the glass roof for a round exhibition room underground. Next to it there is an outdoor staircase for access to the galleries.
The buildings were disposed over a structural grid of 3.7 by 3.7 meters, for reinforced concrete for the structure. The main building is divided in four floors. The ground floor includes the reception, lounge area, art supply shop and access to the underground gallery. It has double brick walls for sound and temperature quality. The upper floors have folding brise soleil panels for luminosity and privacy control for the artists and the classrooms.
TEMPERED GLASS WINDOWS AND RAILING
FLAT REINFORCED CONCRETE ROOF
STRUCTURAL GRID
DOUBLE BRICK WALLS
STEEL AND GLASS FOLDING DOORS METALIC BRISE-SOLEIL PANELS
On the ground floor there is a students lounge overlooking the round water mirror outside for gathering and relaxing time.
SECTION A
SECTION B
APARTMENT RENOVATION
A full renovation and decoration of an apartment at a 1950’s building was the goal for this project. The space was severely damaged and the purpose was to transform it in a home for a young businesswoman.
Originally having many divided spaces, it was possible to connect most of the 95 sqm apartment through demolition, creating two bedrooms with their own bathrooms, an open plan merging kitchen, dining room, living room (with a new restroom) and a study. Most of the budget was destined for the infrastructure and replacement of non-reusable materials though.
Happily the work is done and the owner can now enjoy her new home as a place to rest, work and gather with friends.
ORIGINAL FLOOR PLAN
MODIFICATIONS
KEPT WALLS
DEMOLISHED WALLS
BUILT WALLS
Since the owner lives by herself and is used to working from home, one of the main ideas was to place the study at the core of the apartment, instead of isolating it in a separate room. This strategy allows her to enjoy better the full space more comfortably. Also, it was created a long bench with a bookcase underneath where it used to be a wall, between the study and the dining room. This element invites the owners guests to occupy the spaces in more different and informal ways when she has people over.
For the bedrooms it was proposed a medium wood cabinetry combined with light beige fabrics in order to create an intimate and comfortable space.
The open plan kitchen serves also as an inviting place with a large counter top and a island. This way, cooking becomes a gathering moment instead of an isolated process for the owner and her guests.
CAFÉ & Co-Working
The “Jardim“ café is the proposal of a serene space in the middle of a dense urban area as an attractive place for people to gather. Differently from its neighbours, the short building was placed with a minimal side distance all around it, allowing a better natural illumination and ventilation of its interior. It also connects two opposite sides of the block, working as a short cut for pedestrians. It is divided in two floors, with the café area with kitchen on the main floor and the work space in the mezzanine. In the back of the site is located the administrative area behind a big curved wall that surrounds the inner garden in the middle of the site.
DOUBLE
The garden (“jardim“ in Portuguese) in the centre of the site is a surprise element hidden behind the main volume of the building and works as an inviting and peaceful space in the middle of the urban context. It is a space for contemplation where people can take a break, have a coffee and relax a little in order to improve their life quality.
For the façades it was chosen a irregular composition of windows in order to create a playful yet balanced identity for the building as a contradiction to the monotone and repetitive character of the buildings in the surroundings.
