Braulio Casas

The subject is Piazzeta dei Bambini, a playhouse community designed by Braulio Casas Architects and built by the Arkon Group for the 2008 Cottages for Kids charity event. Braulio Casas, principal at Braulio Casas Architects and Seaside Town Architect, was inspired to recreate for CFK 2008 what he and his family so many times witnessed during their trips to Rome: a site for a community to gather where people come daily to play, converse and strengthen relationships. Unlike most Cottages for Kids entrants, Piazzeta dei Bambini consists of three playhouse structures that define a larger space for play and that can be rearranged so that kids can experiment with an environment that focuses on the relationship of buildings, space and people. Because of this unique feature, kids will have the opportunity to learn the many lessons about living together as part of a community. Piazzeta dei Bambini is designed to be the center of attention in a community, a place where the best parties are held and the best relationships formed. Each playhouse in the Piazzeta is multi-purpose. "Each building that is a part of Piazzeta dei Bambini will have different signs so that the buildings can be a post office, gelato shop, grocery store, pizza shop, or anything the kids can imagine as part of their community," said Casas.
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Casas said, "The best thing that could happen is that somebody sees Piazzeta dei Bambini and learns how they can make a similar structure so that these examples of play communities can spring up in any setting." He has the perfect site in mind. He hopes some generous community member buys the cottage at auction and then donates it to the local Montessori school so the kids at that school can enjoy its many dimensions. Piazzeta dei Bambini is a truly green structure, being constructed of reclaimed or repurposed materials. Sinker cypress will be used in the walls and the paint used, probably milk paint, will be biodegradable, non-toxic and not have any off gassing. Piazzeta dei Bambini will be unveiled at the Cottages for Kids grand opening on Nov. 8, on the East Long Green at Rosemary Beach. The auction date is set for Nov. 29. The cottages will be open for kids to play in between those dates. Casas has been a practicing architect for 12 years and the town architect of Seaside for the past three. His father was a builder and taught him early the value of knowing how to design a structure so that it could be built. To continually re-emphasize this theme, he keeps his eye focused on how a structure will be built throughout the design process. Questions such as "what is the building site telling me," "what are the building materials telling me" and "what are the wishes of the client" are topmost in his mind. Once the structure is underway, Braulio observes the building process and meets with the project craftsmen because he realizes the mutual interdependence of the architect and builders.
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Casas and Jodi decided to participate in cottages because they have done so many successful projects together and they want to give more back to the 30-A communities they call their home.
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To learn more about Braulio Casas Architects contact Braulio Casas at (850) 231-0922.