© Pedro kokThe wooden structures were fabricated in São Paulo while all other elements were fabricated and assembled in loco by the architects themselves and the team in Igatú. Experience in which they submitted themselves to guarantee an understanding of the local reality; and logistical and construction difficulties as well as the potential of the local workforce; to also feel the weight of their design in their own hands.  © Pedro kokThis relation between interior and exterior demonstrates a comprehension of the program which is not only functional but also ceremonial adequating itself to the necessities of life in this landscape Evidence of this type of thinking is the house’s entrance hall where the roof takes off from the heavy wall in stone with a height difference that can be used as a bench – where one can remove mud and dirty shoes after coming back from the woods The quality of Piaba House is the maturity and sensibility of the architects in deciding and being able to realize a continuity with the historical antique roots of that place creating a piece that fits adequately to the landscape It is not a foreign element but rather a talk with the lifestyles and constructive traditions of the surroundings You'll now receive updates based on what you follow Personalize your stream and start following your favorite authors If you have done all of this and still can't find the email Sunset at Lajedo de Pai Mateus in Brazil (all photographs by the author) Each winter, tourists flock to northeast Brazil for its white sand and palm-lined beaches alongside turquoise waters. The Sertão, the region behind those beaches, is known for little else but poverty and harsh living conditions. Yet the interior is not only a repository of Brazil’s most ancient history found in Serra Capivara National Park but is also home to a natural phenomenon called Lajedo de Pai Mateus in the state of Paraíba the forest sheds its leaves and the landscape turns white (Caatinga means “white forest” in the Tupi language) you view dozens of boulders that are a testimony to the forces of nature with bare boulders balancing on top of an already bare rock It makes you wonder if the gods were playing a French game of boules and left the metal balls behind. Erosion is a more scientifically plausible explanation Wind not only gave the boulders smooth, round, or oval shapes, but the heat reflecting from the bare rock combined with fierce winds caused the boulders to form hollows. The most aptly named boulder is Pedra de Capacete: the Helmet Stone. Similar sites have been found only in Namibia (Erongo Mountains) and Australia (Devil’s Marbles) Yet the boulders of Pai Mateus are not just a fascinating natural phenomenon; their existence is intertwined with inhabitation in the area It used to be home to Cariri indigenous people who lived in the area for some 10,000 years Archaeological evidence shows they also lived in the hollowed boulder shelters and are still admired for the long time they succeeded in keeping out the Portuguese invaders they ultimately suffered the same fate as the majority of Brazil’s indigenous tribes and were wiped out On some of the boulders you can still see vague ancient rock paintings; it is all that remains of the original inhabitants Nothing is known about the region’s inhabitants until the 18th century but nobody knows whether this was his real name He was a curandero — healer — and lived as a hermit under one of the boulders His bed and table made of stone are still there he prayed to his gods in order to learn what was wrong with his visitors and subsequently healed them with medicinal plants After ten or fifteen years he moved on just as suddenly as he had arrived, and nobody ever knew where he went feeling the heat of the stones and taking in the views as if somebody just set off some gigantic fireworks I felt the energy so many others have felt there and took in this wondrous landscape shaped by boulders not just of the (relatively) recent inhabitants This is a place to turn inward for a moment to be wrapped up in the beauty and wonders of nature We depend on ad revenue to craft and curate stories about the world’s hidden wonders Consider supporting our work by becoming a member for as little as $5 a month Follow us on Twitter to get the latest on the world's hidden wonders Like us on Facebook to get the latest on the world's hidden wonders.