This Concrete-Wood Residence In Portugal Is Flanked By Two Ponds

Gerês House, constructed in 2015 by architect Carvalho Araújo, is situated on a steep hill in the Caniçada Valley, where there was once a little house and a stream. The original building was positioned on a higher level of the land, which was eventually prone to minor landslides, necessitating its removal and relocation of the new structure.

The new structure interacts with the terrain in a very natural way, taking use of its steep slope, tiny stream, and spectacular perspective of the countryside. The home is accessed from the top level, allowing for a complete view of the land and the building, which fits into the earth like a rock. However, it is within the home that the visual range allows us to rediscover the land below, which is distinguished by an erratic stream channel that leads to a tiny lake at the lower level.

The structure is made up of two parts: a big wood volume that rests on a concrete foundation that extends over the land and the water line, and a smaller wood volume that rests on a concrete base that extends over the land and the water line. The usage of these two materials continues into the house, which seeks big, useful, and multifunctional rooms where pleasure and labor are intermingled.

The social area of the house takes on great significance, manifested in a big central living room that opens to the outside via a huge terrace. The kitchen and services are located on the same floor as the living area, while the most intimate program is located on a second level that connects to the first through a mezzanine.

Photographs by Hugo Carvalho Araújo.