Located on the southwestern edge of the ‘Lagoa Formosa’ , on the border between a residential area of detached houses and the surrounding farmland and pine forest.
The concept for new projects in this area, and in particular for the "Casas da Ilha”, follows an architectural ideal that, turning its back on mimicry naturalists, develops an abstract design of simple geometry and "neutrality" sufficient to allow repetitive variation without loss of the plot’s individual identity.
The perimeter spaces of the plot which surround the building footprint, even when considering the areas not occupied by construction, are not sufficient to ensure full privacy. It was therefore necessary to enhance the internal and external spaces and somehow "empty" the realities of the "front", "side" and "rear".
For this reason an internal courtyard was conceived, providing a core to the interior spaces, whilst integrating the main open space within the building footprint. Thus the panoramic views across the plains may be enjoyed, unhindered, all the way from the rear of the building.
With its spacious central courtyard, the house offers the opportunity for "inside / outside” style living and the external garden (in addition to providing a soft landscape and access) is used to differentiate/harmonize with the neighbouring houses.
The plot is integrated into a larger urbanized area to the East of the development and focuses, in pure harmony, the qualities of the sloped terrain where it lies.
