A Home in Portugal Connects Deeply With Its Setting—Down to a Fault Line

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Project Details:

Location: Penafiel, Portugal

Architect: Tsou Arquitectos / @tiago_tsou

Footprint: 3,230 square feet

Builder: Estreia Fulminante

Photographer: Ivo Tavares Studio / @ivotavaresstudio

From the Architect: "Located in a village in Penafiel, Portugal, Casa da Levada blends into its rural landscape. The shape of the house is molded by the terrain, creating a visual and physical continuity between the building and the natural environment.

"The path to the house appears as a paved groove over the green surface of the land. A tectonic fault separates the volumes dedicated to social spaces and private spaces, leading to the central courtyard. The house develops around the courtyard, creating an outdoor space for gathering where horizontal overhangs frame the surrounding landscape.

"The technical and construction choices follow the idea of integrating the house into the landscape, improving energy efficiency and the durability of the building alongside a commitment to environmental preservation and sustainability. Examples of this include the use of cork panels as the exterior cladding of the house, a landscaped roof (continuing with the terrain), and the stone patio constructed with the integration of stone from the ruins, whose design was based on the reuse of the granite stones."