Articles by Susanna Moreira

On a first approach to the site, its features seemed very familiar, formed by “socalcos” a kind of staggered landscape traditional to the Portuguese region of Douro vineyards, whose schist walls sharply graze the scenery. It didn’t exactly invite construction…

In a rural area in Pedrógão Grande, our client bought, in early 2017, a beautiful green plot of land with some ruined buildings. In June of that year, a fire of devastating proportions destroyed the flora of the land and the surrounding area. This dramatic change of the landscape, in turn, made very clear the topography tamed by a system of terraces, bringing to mind the Douro wine region or, further away, the Inca agricultural terraces in Peru.

Since the first visit, we were greatly impressed by the power of Serra da Bocaina, just like the client who requested a house that “embraced the landscape.” After many studies and conversations, in order to interpret this desire, we arrived at a curved form that seeks to incorporate the exterior into the interior of the house in a panoramic manner. With this semi-elliptical object, clad in materials familiar to the forest, we aim to soften the boundaries between the construction and its surroundings, establishing an architecture that positions itself respectfully in this delicate ecosystem. The challenge of negotiating common and private spaces within a circular form led us to examine other architectural references, vernacular constructions, and community spaces that have a deep connection to their environment. This path also led us to reflect on residential typology, mimicry, and context; on “comfort” and “contemplation of nature”; on the time scale of a construction and the intensity of its footprint on the ground.

It is located on the south bank of the River Cávado, in Barcelinhos, offering a wide green landscape immortalized by the Palace of the Dukes of Bragança and the Medieval Tower.

Many of us architects spend a good part of our careers looking for opportunities or chances to do projects that allow our way of thinking about a particular subject to break free and reach the fullness of what a possible “design freedom” might allow us to do.

The aim of the project was to enhance the architectural, historical and landscape heritage existing in this small mountain region in the Portuguese countryside, named Cova da Beira, in the town of Belmonte. This was achieved through the restoration and preservation of the buildings and existing landscape, and by respecting their architectural character and natural values, allowing a renewal of the touristic purpose of the complex. 

The landscaping project was conceived through a landscape creation methodology that combines the use of potential landscape tropical native plants with species native to the Atlantic Forest biome. In this way, the objective is to create a striking and robust scenic environment that integrates the house with the biome it is located in and implements real environmental and microclimatic improvements to the area.

Located in the city of Oporto on a street perpendicular to Avenida da Boavista, this house is implanted in a way that maintains the street alignment, with walls, gates and blind facades to preserve the privacy of its users.

The House of the Circular Terraces is part of a garden designed for the enjoyment of the Atlantic Forest. Located in a valley, the property does not offer particularly striking views from the horizon. Instead, the focus point within this landscape is composed by the space defined by the canopies of the trees.