Location
Gondomar
YEAR
2020
Surface
413 m²
Client
Privado
SHARE PROJECT
PROCESS
The clients of this project were interested in three key aspects. The house plan was to be distributed over one floor only, they wanted space to park 4 cars and, as a special request, an extra place to accommodate a motorhome as well. The land on which the clients intended to build a telluric house was anything but flat. The topography was steeply sloped and showed traces of old buildings. In a project filled with peculiarities, its terrain could not be an exception, having a traditional stone bridge that connected it to another property of the owners.
The biggest challenge of this project was to design a flat house on such steep terrain, which would not only solve all that this implies, but also make the most out of the opportunities that the terrain offered. Among these difficulties were the access of cars at the threshold level and the area necessary for its correct articulation. In this type of situation, it is important to find a balanced solution that minimises earthwork costs and maximises the optimisation of the usable area. As one of the strong points of this plot was the view of the higher grounds, it was decided from the beginning to opt for an elevated unit that would face these and have a pleasant sun exposure. Taking advantage of the irregular shape of the land, the parking area was placed at the rear of the property, which facilitated the creation of a comfortable curved ramp access and allowed the front to be unobstructed for the volumetry of the house.
A picture is worth a thousand words. The resulting house is a striking volumetry that rises from the top of the plot to unfold delicately towards the vast panoramic views over the urban fabric. The shaft that initiates the volumetry forcefully emerges from the boundary of the property until it merges with the body of the house, creating a covered access to the main entrance of the property. As a final touch, the opaque face of the volume is kept off the ground by an impressive red wall, which provides a covered shelter for the motorhome and receives people arriving on foot.
Program: Covered exterior garage, technical compartment, laundry room, hall, service bathroom, gym, open-space with living room, dining room and kitchen; two bedrooms with built-in wardrobes, common bathroom, master bedroom with bathroom and wardrobe; exterior swimming pool and storage room for swimming pool appliances.
The biggest challenge of this project was to design a flat house on such steep terrain, which would not only solve all that this implies, but also make the most out of the opportunities that the terrain offered. Among these difficulties were the access of cars at the threshold level and the area necessary for its correct articulation. In this type of situation, it is important to find a balanced solution that minimises earthwork costs and maximises the optimisation of the usable area. As one of the strong points of this plot was the view of the higher grounds, it was decided from the beginning to opt for an elevated unit that would face these and have a pleasant sun exposure. Taking advantage of the irregular shape of the land, the parking area was placed at the rear of the property, which facilitated the creation of a comfortable curved ramp access and allowed the front to be unobstructed for the volumetry of the house.
A picture is worth a thousand words. The resulting house is a striking volumetry that rises from the top of the plot to unfold delicately towards the vast panoramic views over the urban fabric. The shaft that initiates the volumetry forcefully emerges from the boundary of the property until it merges with the body of the house, creating a covered access to the main entrance of the property. As a final touch, the opaque face of the volume is kept off the ground by an impressive red wall, which provides a covered shelter for the motorhome and receives people arriving on foot.
Program: Covered exterior garage, technical compartment, laundry room, hall, service bathroom, gym, open-space with living room, dining room and kitchen; two bedrooms with built-in wardrobes, common bathroom, master bedroom with bathroom and wardrobe; exterior swimming pool and storage room for swimming pool appliances.
Location
Gondomar
YEAR
2020
Built Area
413 m²
CLIENT
Privado
THE PROCESS
The clients of this project were interested in three key aspects. The house plan was to be distributed over one floor only, they wanted space to park 4 cars and, as a special request, an extra place to accommodate a motorhome as well. The land on which the clients intended to build a telluric house was anything but flat. The topography was steeply sloped and showed traces of old buildings. In a project filled with peculiarities, its terrain could not be an exception, having a traditional stone bridge that connected it to another property of the owners.
The biggest challenge of this project was to design a flat house on such steep terrain, which would not only solve all that this implies, but also make the most out of the opportunities that the terrain offered. Among these difficulties were the access of cars at the threshold level and the area necessary for its correct articulation. In this type of situation, it is important to find a balanced solution that minimises earthwork costs and maximises the optimisation of the usable area. As one of the strong points of this plot was the view of the higher grounds, it was decided from the beginning to opt for an elevated unit that would face these and have a pleasant sun exposure. Taking advantage of the irregular shape of the land, the parking area was placed at the rear of the property, which facilitated the creation of a comfortable curved ramp access and allowed the front to be unobstructed for the volumetry of the house.
A picture is worth a thousand words. The resulting house is a striking volumetry that rises from the top of the plot to unfold delicately towards the vast panoramic views over the urban fabric. The shaft that initiates the volumetry forcefully emerges from the boundary of the property until it merges with the body of the house, creating a covered access to the main entrance of the property. As a final touch, the opaque face of the volume is kept off the ground by an impressive red wall, which provides a covered shelter for the motorhome and receives people arriving on foot.
Program: Covered exterior garage, technical compartment, laundry room, hall, service bathroom, gym, open-space with living room, dining room and kitchen; two bedrooms with built-in wardrobes, common bathroom, master bedroom with bathroom and wardrobe; exterior swimming pool and storage room for swimming pool appliances.
The biggest challenge of this project was to design a flat house on such steep terrain, which would not only solve all that this implies, but also make the most out of the opportunities that the terrain offered. Among these difficulties were the access of cars at the threshold level and the area necessary for its correct articulation. In this type of situation, it is important to find a balanced solution that minimises earthwork costs and maximises the optimisation of the usable area. As one of the strong points of this plot was the view of the higher grounds, it was decided from the beginning to opt for an elevated unit that would face these and have a pleasant sun exposure. Taking advantage of the irregular shape of the land, the parking area was placed at the rear of the property, which facilitated the creation of a comfortable curved ramp access and allowed the front to be unobstructed for the volumetry of the house.
A picture is worth a thousand words. The resulting house is a striking volumetry that rises from the top of the plot to unfold delicately towards the vast panoramic views over the urban fabric. The shaft that initiates the volumetry forcefully emerges from the boundary of the property until it merges with the body of the house, creating a covered access to the main entrance of the property. As a final touch, the opaque face of the volume is kept off the ground by an impressive red wall, which provides a covered shelter for the motorhome and receives people arriving on foot.
Program: Covered exterior garage, technical compartment, laundry room, hall, service bathroom, gym, open-space with living room, dining room and kitchen; two bedrooms with built-in wardrobes, common bathroom, master bedroom with bathroom and wardrobe; exterior swimming pool and storage room for swimming pool appliances.
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