Set within the historic Quinta da Ponte complex in Sintra, Portugal, Tenant House by ARQUITECTURA-G offers an astute reimagination of the relationship between structure and landscape.
Originally part of a row of buildings along the estate's perimeter, this building began as a series of separate spaces—a sunken ground floor of small shops with a detached, single-floor apartment above. Cut off from the estate by function and form, the building’s original design turned its back on the vast landscape, engaging only minimally with its surroundings.
The renovation approaches this spatial isolation with a strategic inversion. By reorienting the building to face the estate, the architects have transformed its interaction with the environment, shifting from a closed facade facing the traffic-heavy street to an open, welcoming connection with the estate. The introduction of four substantial window bays, two of which stretch down to ground level to create sheltered patios, creates a duality in the design: a space that is both part of the row's uniform line yet fluid in its relationship with the outdoors.
Internally, the layout has been redefined to serve as a single, cohesive living space. Moving bedrooms and wet rooms to the ground level frees the upper floor, creating an expansive communal area that opens onto the estate. At its core, a minimalist staircase crowned by an open kitchen punctuates the space, establishing a rhythm between structure and openness.
This redesign speaks to an architectural philosophy that values both restraint and transformation, blending history with innovation. The building’s volume remains unaltered, preserving its place within the estate’s architectural lineage. Yet, the effect is profound: Tenant House now serves as a fluid bridge between past and present, private and shared, form and landscape. In essence, it is a quiet but powerful statement on how architecture can redefine the boundaries between space and experience.
