Enjoy indoor-outdoor living in this Costa Vicentina home
Sitting adjacent to the sea on the Southwest Coast of Portugal, this vacation home for a Lisbon family takes advantage of the natural surroundings. The design embraces indoor-outdoor living.
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Positioned alongside Costa Vicentina Natural Park on a strip of land that ends at the sea, this home takes its inspiration from natural elements. Although the original home was too far decayed to salvage, GSS Architects relied on the same foundational outline for the new structures to ensure minimal site impact.
Related: Innovative biophilic design planned for new village in Portugal
In all, the project encompasses four buildings with a central shared outdoor space. The communal space includes shade, a solarium, eating areas and other gathering places such as a fire pit and vegetable garden. Designers surrounded the space with native plants and sand to minimize water and maintenance needs. Carefully planned outdoor lighting outlines pathways between the homes and common areas.
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The architecture is basic and streamlined to minimize material requirements. A balance of traditional design and contemporary components such as the gabled roofs enhanced with rustic and handcrafted tile bring plenty of regional character to the project.
Natural light is central to the design with interior rooms flooded through skylights. Windows also serve as a connection to the outdoor space. A pergola surrounding the structures provides temperature control and passive lighting.
The interior design divides the main living room with a fireplace and defines the dining room on the other side. Materials for the build were selected with regional architecture and energy efficiency in mind. Exterior walls are blanketed in thermal insulation with an easy-to-maintain finish.
Additional materials include cement flooring and PVC combs for waterproofing the home at the foundation. The walls are stucco and painted white for a bright finish, while the ceilings rely on wood.
Via ArchDaily