House II in Aroeira / ARX

Architects: ARX PORTUGAL - José Mateus y Nuno Mateus
Location: Caparica, Portugal
Project team: Paulo Rocha, Stefano Riva, Andreia Tomé, Marco Roque Antunes, Pedro Sousa, Tânia Pedro
Project year: 2000- 2003
Construction year: 2004- 2007
Constructed area: 640 sqm
Structure: SAFRE, Projectos e Estudos de Engenharia Lda.
Photographs: Telmo Miller

This is the second project for the urbanization of the Aroeira’s golf course, a field of lawns, sand zones and lakes, and in this case, also a pine tree area. The terrain is narrow and long, slightly triangulated and with a soft inclination alongside the lot. It is also densely occupied by large pines, which end suddenly at north by the immediate vicinity of the golf course.

The house consists on three continuous bodies, articulated by two patios. The first body, a ground floor, is longitudinal to the entrance and is used as garage and working area. The second is transversal and comprises the common life of the house, the kitchen and living-rooms, overlapped in two storeys, opening up to the landscape. The last one is once again longitudinal and a one-floor body, now in suspension, and comprises the bedroom area.

The two patios are layered in white manufactured tile, the first one destined to a service usage and the second one, of double height, complements the living-room ambiance with a gardened mirror pool.

The house design has specially centred on the relationship it establishes with the topography and the distant landscape.

It has assumed a serpentine shape, sliding across the slope, leaning whether to one longitudinal limit or the other, therefore assuring privacy where needed and allowing the enjoyment of the landscape when wanted.
At the same time the natural curve of land goes down, the roof goes up, and the house shifts from a ground-based situation to a floating one, supported by the delicate metal columns and drawing a trail across the garden down to the pool.