‘house in alcobaca’ by topos atelier de arquitectura, alcobaca, portugalimage © xavier antunesall images courtesy of topos atelier de arquitectura

 

 

the client’s bewilderment with the natural portugese countryside led local architecture firm topos atelier de arquitectura to design the‘house in alcobaca’ with the lowest possible profile that would bring out the beauty of the horizontal landscape. the approach to the sitereveals little more than subtle orthogonal elements embedded into the ground, suggesting a trail over a cultured grassy terrain towards the entry stairs that follow the descending contour of the property. the home is organized linearly into a simple rectangle, with a long hallwayon the northern end and large sliding glass panels on the south that extend views out over the the fields and provide access to the pool. the characteristic white-painted concrete creates a large horizontal plane that creates a vertical threshold between the public areas above,and a void allowing access to the inset private spaces beneath.

 

 

topos atelier de arquitectura: house in alcobaca, portugalprofile in the landscapeimage © xavier antunes

 

 

topos atelier de arquitectura: house in alcobaca, portugalgreen drivewayimage © xavier antunes

 

 

topos atelier de arquitectura: house in alcobaca, portugaledge of propertyimage © xavier antunes

 

 

topos atelier de arquitectura: house in alcobaca, portugalwalkway to entranceimage © xavier antunes

 

 

topos atelier de arquitectura: house in alcobaca, portugalstairs leading down to the northern elevation and entranceimage © xavier antunes

 

 

topos atelier de arquitectura: house in alcobaca, portugalsouthern facadeimage © xavier antunes

 

 

topos atelier de arquitectura: house in alcobaca, portugaloverhanging roof shades the interiorimage © xavier antunes

 

 

topos atelier de arquitectura: house in alcobaca, portugalexterior patioimage © xavier antunes

 

 

topos atelier de arquitectura: house in alcobaca, portugalview from the interior towards swimming poolimage © xavier antunes

 

 

topos atelier de arquitectura: house in alcobaca, portugalkitchen area – tile floors keep the inside coolimage © xavier antunes

 

 

 

topos atelier de arquitectura: house in alcobaca, portugal

topos atelier de arquitectura: house in alcobaca, portugalsite plan

 

 

topos atelier de arquitectura: house in alcobaca, portugalsite plan

 

 

topos atelier de arquitectura: house in alcobaca, portugalfloor plan / level 0

 

 

topos atelier de arquitectura: house in alcobaca, portugalsection

 

 

topos atelier de arquitectura: house in alcobaca, portugalsection

 

 

topos atelier de arquitectura: house in alcobaca, portugalsection

 

 

topos atelier de arquitectura: house in alcobaca, portugalsection

 

 

topos atelier de arquitectura: house in alcobaca, portugalelevation

 

 

topos atelier de arquitectura: house in alcobaca, portugalelevation

 

 

project info:

 

 

design agency: topos atelier de arquitectura, ldacountry: portugalarchitects: jean pierre porcher, margarida oliveira and albino freitascollaborators: sofia lima, michael ferreiraarea: 270.00 m2completion date: 2011