Oza dos Ríos

In a plot of land over half an acre, on the verge of a small hamlet, with a slight slope, and good orientation and sunlight conditions, we were asked for an easy to use detached house, mainly on ground floor.

The building was fragmented into small volumes, to reduce its presence, and to help finish the facade of the Hamlet. It was closed to the North, and fanned out to the south and west, getting protected against the sun in summer, but open to it in winter.

We aimed to achieve the right balance between aesthetics, and Eco-friendly design, using sliding or mobile shutters, substitute energy (like solar panels), and passive efficiency means such as design measures, the adequate isolation, and the right air flow in the house, or under the ground slab. Traditional building materials, like stone, were used in new ways, with prefabricated panels.