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Gr House designed by Paulo Martins Arquitectura & design

Project name:
Architecture firm:
Paulo Martins Arquitectura & Design
Location:
Sever do Vouga, Portugal
Photography:
Ivo Tavares Studio
Principal architect:
Paulo Martins
Design team:
Built area:
696 m²
Site area:
Design year:
Completion year:
2018
Collaborators:
Bruno Alvarinhas
Interior design:
Landscape:
Structural engineer:
R5 Engineers
Civil engineer:
Environmental & MEP:
Construction:
Fecha Coutinho Construções
Lighting:
Supervision:
Visualization:
Tools used:
Material:
Budget:
Undisclosed
Client:
Private
Status:
Built
Typology:
Residential › House

The Portugal-based architectural and design studio Paulo Martins Arquitectura & design has designed "Gr Houase" a villa that located in Sever do Vouga, Portugal.

Project description by the architects: Inserted in a plot of land of irregular geometry and surrounded by constructions of little architectural value, this villa emerges as a consequence of its constraints.

If, on the one hand there is a reluctance to visually relate the villa’s interior spaces to its immediate surroundings, on the other hand, there is an uncontrollable desire to turn the villa entirely to face eastwards, towards its view of thunderous beauty and discrete privacy. A further constraint is the fact that its orientation is not ideal, in other words, the view is predominantly facing east, to the south is the far end of the land, and to the west lies a national road with a village coffee shop on the other side of the street.

Thus, arose the need for introversion and hermeticism, making the constructed volume emerge as an inert, mimicking nature and assuming its exception in the eastern wing, whose volumetric deformation declares and accentuates its willing openness and submission to the views beyond. Its forms are irregular, its colors earthen, the openings on its elevations are almost inexistent, appearing in the form of patios and skylights, visible only from higher up.

Walking along the successive ramps encountered since the entrance into this parcel of land, we are taken to a moment of transition between the interior and exterior, which is announced by its coating in roble wood, an exceptional superlative and invitation to enter through the oversized door that separates the hermetic and mysterious exterior from its pure and warm interior, with its spaces generously illuminated with zenithal light pointed towards the valley, where the mist denounces the crossing of a river.

A clear outside/indoor duality stresses the idea of the villa’s lack of interest in its relations with the immediate environment, without this hindering the existential dynamics of its interior.
Programmatically, the reception areas of the house face eastwards (valley) and the intimate zones westwards (road), with these spaces being separated by a large indoor patio around which it is possible to walk, creating enriched spatial and visual dynamics.

Gr House designed by Paulo Martins Arquitectura & design in Portugal image © Ivo Tavares studio

the entrance step of the house with big wooden slide doorimage © Ivo Tavares studio

the ramp toward the entrance of the villaimage © Ivo Tavares studio

a man walking beside a big cactus plant toward the houseimage © Ivo Tavares studio

the wooden wallimage © Ivo Tavares studio

Gr House designed by Paulo Martins Arquitectura & designimage © Ivo Tavares studio

wooden swing doorimage © Ivo Tavares studio

Gr House designed by Paulo Martins Arquitectura & design in Portugal image © Ivo Tavares studio

the balcony with a spectacular view of mountains image © Ivo Tavares studio

Gr House designed by Paulo Martins Arquitectura & designimage © Ivo Tavares studio

the kitchen image © Ivo Tavares studio

indoor patioimage © Ivo Tavares studio

indoor patio image © Ivo Tavares studio

Gr House designed by Paulo Martins Arquitectura & designimage © Ivo Tavares studio

Gr House designed by Paulo Martins Arquitectura & designimage © Ivo Tavares studio

Gr House designed by Paulo Martins Arquitectura & designimage © Ivo Tavares studio

bathroomimage © Ivo Tavares studio

bedroomimage © Ivo Tavares studio

dining area image © Ivo Tavares studio

Gr House designed by Paulo Martins Arquitectura & designimage © Ivo Tavares studio

huge wooden swing door is opened image © Ivo Tavares studio

room with white walls image © Ivo Tavares studio

aerial view of the house with drone image © Ivo Tavares studio

Floor Plan Floor Plan

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By Naser Nader Ibrahim

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