Making Architecture at Sintra, Portugal
“In the right light, at the right time, everything is extraordinary.”
― Aaron Rose
I hope these images provide a little insight into the process of our design work and the search we undertake as we explore the potential of each project. Our aim is to find a deeper connection with place, climate, and the personal lives of our clients.
The central idea for the House of Luz, which means “light” in Portuguese, originated from our first site visit in the scorching sun just west of Lisbon in southern Portugal. In this unforgiving landscape, the immediate and primal instinct is to seek shade. The comfort that shade provides, serving as both physical and metaphysical refuge, further emphasized the importance of creating a form that would intercept this solar gain.
In Sintra, our intention was to embrace the art of shadow, making it a luxurious, confident, and essential element of the home. With this concept in mind, we envisioned a simple white wall that would encircle the house like a ribbon or a shield. This outer wall would adapt its shape based on the function of the rooms and spaces it interacts with.
Between this outer wall and the house itself, there exists an intermediate or “in-between outdoor space” that offers cool shade. This space can serve a variety of purposes that draw from the interiors of the home. It can be a place to rinse off after a surfing session or a seating area where the family can work and relax together.
This enigmatic space that resides between the interior and exterior frequently manifests in our projects, aiming to craft a realm of enchantment. It evokes in me the reminiscent nature of reality and the writings of Jorge Luis Borges, who delved into the complexities of perception in his literary masterpieces.
As I recall, one of the recurring motifs in Borges’ works is the notion that our comprehension of the world is confined by our individual viewpoints and the constructs of our minds. He held the belief that our perception of reality is shaped by our personal encounters, memories, and cultural predispositions—themes that hold great significance in our work.
The House of Luz seeks to explore the fundamental truth of living in a machine of light and shade, while tempering the effects of climate on everyday life. We envision a building of mathematical simplicity, with its symmetry governed by the angles and incidences of sunlight and the golden ratio. This results in a captivating and deceptively straightforward plan, fostering a harmonious and meditative living experience.
This architecture at Sintra embraces geometric precision, while allowing ample freedom in programming to cater to the unique lives of our clients.
“I have always been intrigued by the mere possibility of being able to transpose the improbable into the realm of the probable.”
― Jorge Luis Borges
In Borges’ works, reality is frequently depicted as elusive and fragmented. He employed intricate literary devices, like mirrors and labyrinths, to portray the intricacies and uncertainties of perception. These devices serve as metaphors for the human condition and our role in constructing our own realities.
Likewise the House of Luz constructs its own reality through its local symmetrical presence. It is a thinking building that takes care and provides for those that dwell within it. Embodied with philosophical meaning that defines its own world - happy as a work within and of itself.
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