Designed by Blaanc, the house is built in the middle of the vineyard in an almost flat terrain with a cork oak forest. The calm and serenity of the surroundings welcomes a building on one level trying to interfere as little as possible with the landscape lining up alongside the natural elements of the landscape.
Description of the project by Blaanc
The different functions of the house are organized into three rectangular volumes of similar sizes, each one possessing a flat roof. The volumes are arranged parallel and orthogonally respecting the landscape’s lines of strength and the house’s different areas – common areas and private areas – which are distinguished by a distinct materiality that also combines harmoniously with each other as well as the natural surroundings.
The common areas, confined to a Rammed Earth volume, communicate with the entire length of the outdoor terrace which functions as an extension of the living areas as well as bringing shade to the west façade.
The two remaining volumes contain six suites, an office, a small guest bathroom, a guest bedroom and a storage area with direct access from the exterior.
The design opted to incorporate a small patio that brings light to the spaces that are exposed to the north-west. This patio is aligned with a larger patio to the south, enhancing a visual crossing that marks the transition to the more private area of the house.
The demand for sustainable and more ecological solutions were the drive behind the introduction of a Rammed Earth volume, a vernacular building technique still recurrent in some areas of Portugal. The natural beauty of the earth is left visible on the exterior configuring the common areas that include a living room, a dinning area and a kitchen. This materiality also ensures greater thermal and acoustic comfort inside the house, providing a cool environment in the summer and mild in the winter with the indoor humidity constant throughout the year. It is also an ecological construction method that enables a strong fusion with the surrounding environment.
The remaining volumes consist of a concrete structure, brick masonry walls with external insulation which are plastered and painted white, giving continuity to the existing buildings on the estate.
