Located in Gateira, Portugal, Casa na Galeria is a privately owned residence completed by Camarim Arquitectos in 2014. The hillside house, owned by a British couple who wanted a holiday retreat from their busy life in London, sits on a picturesque terraced hill with vineyards and olive trees, and striking views of the southern tip of Serra da Estrela, the highest point in mainland Portugal.
Natural heating and cooling systems reduce overall energy consumption, so the house stays cool in the summer and warm in the winter. Large windows open up the living areas to the infinity pool and breathtaking views beyond. By playing with volumes and heights, the architects managed to create dynamic interiors that balance the indoor and outdoor spaces.
The main challenge was to achieve a balance between nature, agriculture and traditional architecture. “Our strategy was to interfere as little as possible: one enters the house in the upper part of the plot, through a wall that evokes the region’s traditional slate buildings, and descends onto the house’s core — a social space split in two levels,” the architects said. “From this space, the house’s volume breaks and extends along the topography in a subtle yet effective separation between social and intimate.” Every functional area is located on a different level and provides an optimum indoor-outdoor balance. [Photography by Nelson Garrido]
What is your favorite indoor or outdoor space in this hillside house?
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