House in Lourinhã by Aires Mateus in Portugal

Project: House in LourinhãArchitects: Aires MateusLocation: Lourinhã, PortugalPhotographs: Fernando Guerra | FG+SG

House in Lourinhã by Aires Mateus

Aires Mateus completed the House in Lourinhã project — an impressive modern residence on the outskirts of the city of Lourinhã in Portugal. This is a relatively simple house with a minimalist exterior appearance featuring a clean white facade that continues inside with a bright interior theme.

The plot is located on the outskirts of Lourinhã, at a high elevation with views over the city.

Functional layout is standard: the house is divided into a private zone with bedrooms and a public area with living rooms. Private spaces are located on street level under the plot, around a central courtyard with rooms opening to private terraces in a cozy setting. Living areas are arranged around an open space that brings light from above and offers views of the castle in the city center.

The house represents a recognizable archetype, freed from the center by light created through a three-level courtyard that opens horizontally at garden level. Bedroom courtyards opening into the garden are linked to this archetypal element, providing varied perceptions of its scale. Scale and volume are controlled within a chaotic context with clear identity originating from the core and connected to historical heritage: the Castle of Lourinhã.

–Aires Mateus