Montes House

2023, PT

This private detached house is located at the edge of a small rural village in the Alcobaça district, central Portugal. The existing house was built in the late 1990s replacing a set of earlier constructions, and sits in the middle of the plot, fronted by a richly planted garden and an annexe, and backed by a sloping stretch of once agricultural land.

Like most constructions built in the area at the time, the pitched roof house displays elements of pastiche ornamentation, both internal and external, in an amalgamation of mock classical and traditional architectural styles. The rigidity of the highly compartmentalized interiors contribute to the overall sense of darkness and coldness inside.

Location: Alcobaça, PT
Status: Ongoing 2023
Client: Private
Area: 215m²

The proposed light-touch refurbishment avoids structural alterations, addressing the qualities found within the existing structure to create a new relationship between lounge, dining and cooking areas. These previously disjointed and fragmentary compartments are interconnected through the slight remodeling of elements.

New aluminium double glazed windows introduce higher levels of energy efficiency and highlight the relationship between internal and external spaces by framing views across the adjacent landscape and fields beyond. The proposed works include new kitchen, shower rooms, and inbuilt furniture, the repair of existing woodwork as well as the general repainting of walls and ceilings.