House on the Flight of Birds / Bernardo Rodrigues

Architect: Bernardo Rodrigues
Location: Ribeira Grande, Portugal
Preliminary Study: James Grainger, Pedro Mosca, Natacha Viveiros
Execution: Nelson Ferreira, Ye Xuanyong, Vasco Melo, Laura von Dellemann, Alexandra Balona
Work: Adriana Massague, Rita Breda, Ana Soares, Jessica Silva, Sofia Cordeiro, Raquel Fernandes Elena Archipovait Marcello Zahr
Project Year: 2002-2010
Photographs: Iwan Baan

Secretariat: Ana Carneiro, Patricia Franco, Andrea Trevisan
Structural Calculation: HDP, engineering Ltd – Eng. Paulo Fidalgo
Mechanics: Paulo de Faria Queiros Ltd, Maria Odete de Almeida
Electricity: Mr. Gomes
Surveillance work: Mr. Pedro Sacramento and Carlos Tavares

The house is located in the north side of S. Michael Island in the Azores. Since the microclimate of this farmland offers frequent wind and showers, the first design strategy was to block these winds with a wall, and offer diverse patios and covered courtyards to protect against rain. These patios and courtyards also open all living spaces to the natural green by glass walls, which receded from the exterior.

On the upper-floor, there are private rooms that are more enclosed and protected. The typology follows an almost classical Palladian and Scamozzi central plan design, with double height on living room, and then two lateral wings enclosing one the kitchen.

The house also uses the high chimneys from popular residential architecture, a covered interior patio, and the other wing has the circulations for the first floor and to the roof terrace. These two wings end with light entrances from the south. The roof offers a wonderful view of all of the island’s north shore.