Office name: Vitor Vilhena Arquitectura
E-mail: geral@vitorvilhena.com
Responsible Architect: Vitor Vilhena
Team: Nuno Gonรงalves, Fรกbio Plรกcido Guimarรฃes, Michael Vieira
Location: Alcalar, Algarve โ Portugal
Year of completion: 2016
Total construction area (m2): 250 m2
Photography: Fernando Guerra | FG+SG
Photographer website: www.ultimasreportagens.com
Other collaboration:
Veritate, Projectos e Fiscalizaรงรฃo
Electroeng, Engenharia Electrotรฉcnica
Termoflux, Engenharia e Certificaรงรฃo Energรฉtica
Materials used in the construction
Company / Product
1. Duravit – Toilets
2. Bruma – Taps
3. Margrรฉs – Tiles
Located in the south of Portugal, in an area that serves as a transition between the Sea and
the land. It is located in the village of Alcalar, a few kilometers from Portimรฃo, where 5000
years ago was settled an important Prehistoric community.
Based on the importance of the location of the land and its relationship with history, we
decided that the image of the house would have to seek the organic relations that refer to the
The monument that appears in the history of the area.
The image of the house is constituted by several curves that consist in the separations
provoked by the surroundings.
The topography is gently sloping, and the surrounding is characterized by a traditional style
single-family dwellings from the ’80s.
The land confines to a municipal street, which defines the entrance of the house.
The project develops on a single floor (above the street level) with the intention of minimizing
the visual impact of the viewer from the street and its implementation takes into account the
better use of the solar orientation of the interior compartments and the best views that the site
provides.
The natural topography of the terrain promotes the creation of a lower floor facing South.
Following this orientation was created an outdoor seating area that relates to the terrain and
the landscape. This space is covered in order to protect and control the solar orientation of the
facade.
The southern elevation benefits from a strong relationship between the interior and exterior,
inviting permeability situations, namely its relation with the terrain, vegetation, and views.
The villa consists of 2 floors, the ground floor which is at the level of the entrance, and which
comprises 4 bedrooms, living and dining area, kitchen and service areas, complemented by a
car parking.
The lower floor develops as the result of the natural slope of the terrain and
integrates a living area, directly related to the pool. This lower floor benefits from an outdoor
covered area where the pool is located, creating very interesting relations between the interior
and exterior.