Casa UM by Atelier RUA – Home Stratosphere

Architect: Atelier RUA
Year: 2020
Location: Estiramantens, Portugal
Client: The Addresses
Photography: © Francisco Nogueira
Construction: RGL Engenharia & Construções
Construction Area: 280,00 m2 sqm
Architectural Team: Francisco Freitas, Luís Valente, Paulo Borralho, Rui Didier
Ana Tomé, Cristiano Rodrigues, Dora Jerbic

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Project Team
Stability/Structural Engineering: Pedro Fragoso Viegas – Engenharia
Engineering Projects: Acribia – Projetos de Engenharia
Landscape: Oficina dos Jardins
Interior Design: Studio Stories

This is a view of the living room that has consistent beige tones on its walls and tall cathedral ceiling that has exposed wooden beams.

The living room's sofa set matches the beige walls and ceiling while the concrete coffee table matches the flooring.

The beige elements of the living room make the black iron freestanding fireplace stand out. On the side of the living room is an entryway to the patio.

This is a close look at the dining room that has light wooden chairs to match the light wooden dining table topped with pendant lights.

THis is the main entrance of the house with a large glass door and a miniature garden on the side with potted plants.

This is an aerial view of the whole house showcasing its landscaping and the structures that has flat roofs.

This is an aerial view of the house exterior that focuses on the bright white exterior walls making it stand out against the surrounding landscape.

This is a close look at the aerial view of the house showing more small outdoor areas and the rooftops that have soil on them matching the surroundings.

This is a patio just outside the living room area with an outdoor dining set of concrete round table and a row of potted plants.

This is a side of the house exterior showcasing more of the white exteriors complemented by the large glass windows and landscaping.

This is a nighttime view of the house showcasing the various windows and openings that light up thanks to the warm yellow interior lights.

This is a close look at the exterior wall that has texture and patterns showing that it is not simply white walls.

There is also a fenced pool area on the roof of the house with a pool and multiple lounge chairs facing it.

This is a closer look at the rooftop of the house and its soil that matches the surrounding landscape.

This is a farther aerial view of the house showcasing more of the soil on the rooftop making it almost invisible.

This is a closer aerial view of the poolside area on the roof of the house.

This is the staircase of the house with consistent bright beige on the walls, ceiling and steps.

This is the illustration of the site map and layout of the house.

The irregular shaped plot of about 10.500 sqm stands on a slope facing southwest, where it is possible to observe the Algarve coast. The vegetation of carob, olive, mastic, and almond trees stands out, bringing us to the traditional Algarve mountains.

In the central area of the property, coincident with the most inclined terrain, there is a small residential building with 100sqm. The traditional Algarve architecture, recognizable by the presence of well-defined volumes and some characteristic elements, such as the chimney or the roof terrace with decorated cornice.

The project reformulates the existing construction, placing in it all the social areas of the house (kitchen, living room, and dining room), in direct contact with the new outdoor leisure area. At a lower level, under this outdoor leisure area, a new volume holds the most private spaces of the house and its four bedrooms.

By placing this new volume of about 150m2 of construction at a lower level, the goal is to achieve greater privacy in the bedrooms without visually blocking the views of the existing building to the Algarve coast, enhancing its privileged solar orientation.

When enjoying social and outdoor spaces, the old house stands out while the new construction is not visible. All rooms are complemented by a small private patio that extends the indoor area to the outside, maintaining privacy.

On the road that runs from Estiramantens and develops towards the North, the main access to the house, it is possible to see the whole building, with the pre-existing house crowning the new and contemporary construction. This new construction mirrors and reinterprets the visual, physical, and spatial archetypes of the traditional architecture of the Algarve.

By Jon Dykstra · See their LinkedIn.