Lousada, Portugal
“In Santa Marinha we had to make three entrances. I don’t remember doing anything like that, although that’s what we enjoy the most – drawing the entrance, and also drawing the terrain. And it is always the most difficult delivery,” states the architect Helder da Rocha.
In a small town east of Porto, the House in Santa Marinha by Portuguese firm Helder da Rocha Arquitectos together with landscape designers SL Paisagistas is the result of three entrances, creating a unique layout of spaces across two floors in relation to the context.
Situated in an urban subdivision, the context presented various limits.
Additionally, the client did not want to build a large structure on the already small plot.
The result is a rectangular-shaped house, measuring just 10 meters by 14 meters.
The spaces are divided between two floors across 230 square meters, breaking up the monolithic volume through voids and windows that frame views.
The solution to building less built mass was to open a patio in the south, which illuminates and ventilates the house.
The interiors are minimal, with sleek, white surfaces highlighting the courtyard and the views to the exterior.
Warm wood floors stand in contrast to the lighter surfaces of other materials.
On the ground floor, in relation to the street, we find the entrance rooms.
On the first floor, in relation to the ground at the lowest level, we find the common areas open to the landscape, to the inner courtyards, and to the other two entrances.
One entrance goes through the courtyard, and another through the living room.
An entrance to an entrance?
“It is never advisable to make multiple entries, for several reasons. Here, apparently, the opposite was valid. We don’t even know where the entrance is,” concludes the architect.
Project: House in Santa Marinha
Architects: Helder da Rocha Arquitectos
Lead Architect: Helder da Rocha
Landscape Architects: SL Paisagistas
Engineers: EC – Unique Building Solutions
Photographer: Ivo Tavares Studio
