Two houses in Monçao

Memory of project.

The site is next to the tree covered riverside of the Miño, which is the natural border between Portugal and Spain. The project consisted on designing two houses, in the same plot, for both son and father.

Both houses are fitted in one building, as it seem logical. In short, there is a big prestessed-concrete roof (84.60 x 16m) which covers both volumes (made out of wood, steel and glass), which are supported by granite walls.Such a strong element needs to be balanced with landscape. At the center of it, a circle, an elipse, a place to plant a tree, to place an sculpture, or just an space which domains the spot.

There is a continuous search for dialogue between traditional building systems of northern Portugal and innovation. The form and tectonic sense of the building comes together to link the building and the site, transforming it in one more element of the landscape, and thinking about time as an active variable during not just the construction, but the lifetime of the building.

Everything in the building has been designed by the architect, from framework to furniture in wood, reminding to altars in old portuguese churches made of granite, which here is concrete.

In energy issues, geothermal systems has been displayed getting advance of the plot extension, so as to get energetic balance guaranteed.

Text.- João Paulo Loureiro.