"ALENTEJO OLIVE HOUSE"
YEAR 2019
AREA 2.133m2
LOCATION Alentejo, Portugal
Behind the design of the “Alentejo Olive House” lies a concept based on the adaptation of Alentejo traditions and architecture to contemporary times, enveloped by nature.
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As in most areas of inland Alentejo, the site of this house presents a climate of extremes, with rainy and cold winters and hot, dry summers. Thus, different strategies were developed to achieve daily comfort for future residents, through the creation of various shaded spaces, sunlit areas and/or spaces protected from the wind. The analysis of solar orientation was also essential in determining the interior layout.
With multiple openings facing the surroundings, privacy from adjacent dwellings was an important premise for the AACG studio. “Alentejo Olive House” behaves like a box that is both open and closed, rising from the ground and offering multiple living experiences through “nooks and secrets” that can only be perceived by exploring its interior.
From the outside, one contemplates a balanced and harmonious scale of the building with the surrounding vegetation and houses, as well as with the dimension of the plot itself. The various gable roofs meet the typical architecture of traditional Alentejo houses and add a visual rhythm.