Descriptive Memory

The house in the schist consists of a farmhouse, for a family of new winemakers, in a way to fix them there. With this work, we were forced to revive the farmhouses of the past, as well as their tradition and experience.

Quinta do Caleiro, located in the ruler area, more specifically in the Serra de São Domingos, with a protected landscape classified as world heritage. With these requirements, we were forced to take extra care, due to everything that was inherent to the land that was given to us.

The project appears as a result of three factors, there being no order, all having the same weight, the fact that there is a pedestrian path, together with the shape of the land, was given to the project's line of force, not forgetting the fact from this dividing line, the terrain of the olive grove of the vineyard.

When approaching the house, we can see all of its vineyards, but when we approach it, on the pedestrian path, the vineyard is hidden from visitors, giving them this view together with the landscape over the Douro river when they are in the ballroom. .

The volume that is part of this line of force is not just a pedestrian route, the circulation area of the house, but has the office/library as its final and final point.

Note that this circulation area widens as we get closer to the representation area, then narrows when we enter the familiar area.

The house is concerned with giving its inhabitants an easy movement both inside the house and from the inside to the outside.

The schist house embraces the land, in order to intervene as little as possible in it. During the course of the program, the quarters area to the east and the representation area to the west were placed.

This way of trying to live the house/farm makes us almost think if it is the land that tries to enter the house or the house that tries to enter the land. So that its adaptation was stronger to the terrain, the materials used are those from the region, ie wood and, of course, schist.