We found this place a few years ago and it has stuck with us.  Without a doubt we know that it’ll do the same to you.  A wondrous feat of architecture and a prime example of design within a complex landscape of sand and water. Brazilian architect Marcio Kogan designed this spectacular holiday residence in 2009.  Located in one of the hundreds of rocky islands near the colonial town of Paraty, near São Paulo. The brief:  design a holiday residence which leaves the natural surrounding untouched, not an easy feat given that the residence is built on a plot of 5 acres and surrounded by dense jungle and ocean.  The house extrudes from a mountain, in a chameleon like way forming two concrete boxes which resemble rocks positioning themselves at the bottom of the mountain, genius given the topography of the site. Access to the main entrance is by boat.  From the sand, a metallic bridge built over a pool of clear water leads you to the lower level of the house.   The façade, of clear glass stares luxuriously over the sea, protected from the sun by Eucalyptus (let’s hear it for home grown wood, right?!). Not to be left behind, the interior arising from the spectacular exterior architecture is filled with natural light and bears an air of the greats Barragan, Wright and van der Rohe and is littered with mid-century furniture (sorry, we know it’s Furniture Free Friday, give us a break) designed by the likes of George Nakashima, Luis Barragan, Lina Bo Bardi, Sérgio Rodrigues, Joaquim Tenreiro and José Zanine Caldas. Like all that wasn't enough, (and here’s the part we really love) Kogan declares part of the influence for the architecture of the house to be from film, from the greats of history, Bergman, Fellini and Warhol. It’s heaven, right?