TECH. DATA

. Client Private

. TEAM Bruno Marques (architect in charge), Miguel Martins, Sebastião Ataíde, Tiago Almeida

. Engineering STRUPLANO

. Built 2016-2018

. Type 240m2 House

. Location Coimbra, Portugal

Located on a hill with a privileged view to an UNESCO heritage site, the project is developed from the client’s simple desire to benefit from site’s strongest feature: the vast view over the city and the valley.

Extravagant and egocentric in its will to float over the landscape, this house could never take place within the older inner city. The house is purposely designed as a place to see, a watchtower.

Approached from the lower side, the view gradually displays itself from small openings and finally reaches a wide open terrace. The living spaces extend to the outside through a large window frame that opens towards the terrace, transforming the house into a modern, panoramic space – both interior and exterior.

The warmth of carpentry works in walnut in combination with micro-cement finishing skillfully hide the technological level of the dwelling – with domotics included. The moveable wooden lattice shutters, not only evoke the memory of its nearby monastery, but also ensure privacy to the interior spaces and supply sun protection in an elegant and subtle way. Open and close, the house constantly adapts to the needs of its occupants – an inert structure transforms into an organic dwelling.