Modular Bahia occupies a site between river and sea, within a coconut grove on the southern coast of Bahia, in the Costa do Cacau region in northeastern Brazil. The house is composed of three nuclei: two autonomous units with bedrooms, a small living area and kitchen, and a third social pavilion with kitchen, veranda and game room. The program unfolds into six single-story pavilions connected by an elevated wooden deck, integrating the architecture with the vegetation and making the complex almost invisible from both the beach and the river.

The project was developed using an industrialized modular construction system in plantation timber, suited to remote and difficult-to-access locations. On a shallow foundation and suspended concrete slab rises a structure of wooden beams and columns, with panel walls and a timber roof. The assembly process allows rapid construction, greater quality control and minimal waste generation.

Wide front eaves, projecting nearly two meters, protect the window frames and allow for large openings with solar control, natural ventilation and broad views of the landscape. Tall screened frames ensure constant ventilation protected from insects, while large glass panes fully open the views. The most glazed façade, facing the sea, is oriented east and receives only the morning sun. A constant breeze crosses the interiors through openings on opposite façades. Organized in two planes—floor-to-ceiling and a second, linear high band—they ensure visual integration with the exterior and cross ventilation even when the doors are closed. Walls and roof use 78-mm CLT timber panels, which act as thermal insulation while providing an excellent interior finish.

The Modular BV System, developed by UNAbv in partnership with Crosslam Brasil, is composed of modules adaptable to different programs and dimensions, capable of responding to diverse topographies, views and solar orientations. The construction site is understood primarily as an assembly process, reducing both construction time and waste. Modules for bedrooms, living rooms, kitchens, offices, laundries and verandas can be combined in multiple configurations. Once the composition is defined, the modules enter production already coordinated across all systems—architecture, structure, plumbing, electrical, lighting, joinery and environmental comfort. Four aspects summarize the system:

1. adaptation to different topographies, climates and access conditions;
2. greater control of schedule and costs, as construction becomes an assembly process;
3. significant reduction of waste on site;
4. integration of sustainable solutions (solar energy, water reuse and biodigester).

Given the impact of the construction industry on carbon emissions, the system was conceived to combine industrial production with adaptation to tropical contexts, taking advantage of the natural resources of each site. Engineered timber emerges as a renewable construction matrix with low embodied energy. During its growth, the tree captures carbon through photosynthesis; when used in construction, this carbon remains stored for a longer period. Added to this are the benefits of prefabrication and on-site assembly: shorter construction time, less waste and minimal impact on the terrain.