On the Grândola crest, the holiday house designed by Aires Mateus + SIA arquitectura in the balance between a courtyard house, with a protected core relating to the sky, and an opening to the distant ocean view.
Positioned at the peak of a hill, the two-storey house was conceived as a lookout point offering views out across the Fontinha Estate, but was also planned to offer the same seclusion as a typical courtyard residence.
The topography is modeled to protect the house from the road and to open the spaces to a view of the ocean. The perimeter delineates the interior rooms and the transitional spaces. The building occupies a cross-shaped footprint. The sliced-off corner creates a partial arch on the lower level of the building and accommodates an entrance to a living room. Rooms are arranged around three quarters of the plan, while a rectangular terrace extends out from the middle and a swimming pool runs along one side.
Vertical volumetric spaces are occupied by elements that define functions and atmospheres. Instead of rectilinear shapes, each block is also gently tapered to make the building appear larger than it actually is.
