3r arquitetura's transparent house is hidden amid chestnut trees in portugal

portuguese practice 3r arquitetura has designed a house hidden in the woods of marco de canaveses, a city in northern portugal. the project was inspired by its setting — a piece of land surrounded by chestnut trees, embedded into the mountain, and flanked by a stream that flows down the hillside.

all images by joão morgado

it was the site’s bucolic setting that encouraged 3r arquitetura to design something that didn’t impose itself on the surrounding nature. the immediate environment gave rise to the ‘cloaked house’ concept, which sees the property ‘deviate’ from the existing trees, emphasizing a sense of lightness.

the project was inspired by its bucolic setting

the two horizontal plates — the roof and the floor — are open to the landscape and are punctuated whenever encountering a tree. this results in patios that introduce a sense of dynamism and movement, while a well-defined rhythm of wooden pillars support the green roof. rich vegetation protects the home’s glazed façades from the region’s hot sun in summer, while in winter the deciduous trees shed their leaves, allowing the sun rays to penetrate the dwelling. 

the house ‘deviates’ from the site’s existing trees

a sense of dynamism and movement is created by a well-defined rhythm of wooden pillars

the house becomes gently illuminated by night

the house features transparent façades that offer generous external views

the glass walls allow for a constant relationship with the natural setting

trees puncture the concrete floor plate

in summer the leaves of the trees engulf the house

the green roof is fully accessible

an aerial view of the site

the project was designed by portuguese practice 3r arquitetura

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: maria erman | designboom