A holiday house, a week-end house, not very big, easy to use and enjoying its site, the place and the sea views.

A living room and three bedrooms, one a little bigger, service rooms, lots of outdoor space and a swimming pool area.

A brief similar to that which almost all clients give us and that, given the scope appears to be simple, but always contains hidden difficulties.

The site, although ample and large enough was limited in the area allowed to be built which gave rise to a certain restraint and various design approaches.

At the point when one solution was nearly agreed, the client decided to buy a neighbouring site to supplement the existing area. This significantly changed the original parameters. Fuelled by the client’s enthusiasm the house grew, but did so within the same brief and the same concept. Due to these new conditions it was necessary to adapt the proportions and the relationships between volumes; leading to more space generally, more open spaces, more voids and enclosed areas.

Coming from the volume of the garage, through a walled and covered passageway, one has access to the volume of the house, passing first through an external hallway which will be very special in the way it allows a pause in this area of lush vegetation. The façade of this volume is also the threshold between the external world and the private world.

After the entrance, one crosses a series of volumes that are interconnected by internal passages and separated by small external patios.

The dining room is visually connected with the living room both internally and externally. From here there is access to the three bedrooms, two of these being small and similar, the third being large.

The service areas, kitchen, laundry and a small service bedroom are organized in a wing to the north.

The caretaker’s house is contained in a small volume set at 45º to the predominant geometry of the house.

One of the patios to the rear, on the northern face of the building will be set up for barbecues and meals in the open air.

The terraces to the south will accommodate the more social activities of the house.

In the volume containing the living areas the parapet height is constant. The level changes are internal and follow the terrain. The volume of the garage breaks very deliberately, the line of parapet.

Stone will clad the outside of the building, light in tone on the walls and roof. Local stone, nearly black and with a slightly porous texture will finish the floors.

The windows will be in timber internally and clad in stainless steel outside.

Indoors, floors will be in timber, walls and ceilings will be white so that the light and the resulting shadows, may accentuate the volumes and forms.

The house and its project are as yet in progress.

The house is as yet a project in progress.

to be continued…

Carlos Castanheira