Vacation Architecture in the Azores Islands
If you were wondering which is the westernmost part of Europe, the answer is the Azores Islands. Halfway from continental Europe towards America, these volcanic islands are an autonomous region of Portugal. This article addresses Vacation Architecture in the Azores Islands.
This article is a part of my architecture research, presented in a friendly way. You can order the book either as a collectible hardcover artbook or as an instant digital download.
Order the book here.
Natural Setting
The Azores provide a very unique natural environment. The volcanic origin of the islands implies very steep hills, a complex relief consisting of high peaks with very low valleys, sometimes including perfectly round volcanic lakes. Specific to the volcanic geology is the very dark soil and large black, porous rocks.
The climate is particularly mild for such a northerly position. The main influence is the surrounding ocean, together with the Gulf Stream. Temperatures have a slight seasonal variation while humidity remains high all year round. It’s a pretty wet and cloudy place.
The rich volcanic soil together with the mild temperatures, high humidity and indirect sunlight provide a very unique habitat, particularly for plants. Deep green forests cover the rolling hills while species of palm populate the more flatter areas. Even though it may look wild, the vegetation found today in the Azores is not endemic – much of the biome has been eradicated as a consequence of human activity on the island.
As you may have already figured out, the natural color palette of the Azores consists of deep greens from the foliage, black accents from basaltic volcano rocks, ridiculously blue skies – that is, when they are not overcast. The resulting color of the surrounding ocean is more of an emerald green.
Historical context
To keep it short, with causation in mind, the Portuguese called this archipelago their own at around 1426. Its position was an excellent marine halt halfway towards the American colonies. So yeah, you could imagine what went on there.
Later on, during the 18th century, Europeans started to see the potential it had as a vacation destination. Writers and poets would spend their time here, including Mark Twain, Chateaubriand (the writer not the meat) and Prince Albert of Monaco. And, of course, more recently, Steve Jobs.
Being so far from continental Europe, Azorean architecture did not go through all those phases we see in Portugal, Spain, France or Italy. We do, however, see a lot of Neo Gothic – the newer version of Gothic architecture in which they kept all the palatable parts in an optimized construction. The Neo Gothic architecture we see here was imported through church models and later on implemented in institutional buildings. The Azorean Neo Gothic style is quite unique, characterized by the contrast between the white stucco on the facades and the black ornaments and structural elements made of volcanic rock.The Result is quite dramatic, evocative of the natural setting.
General Architectural Solution
The vacation home specific to the Azores Islands is unofficially named “Casa Acoriana”. Facades are mostly white stucco with black stone ornaments or structural elements. The base and sometimes yard pavement, translating towards the interior can also be rectified basalt rock. Upper floors are mostly wood structures. The roof is inherently Mediterranean, a wooden structure with pantiles.
In recent years, the Azores have become a sought after vacation spot. For the locals, this meant converting their garages or storage units into guest homes, oftentimes expanding with additional constructions or one extra floor. We call this process adaptive architecture and it produces truly unique, authentic results.
Casa Açoriana
- Shape: box, isolated
- Spatial Typology: chambered, linear
- Spatial Organisation: clustered
- Functionality: seasonal home, multi-family housing, storage
- Location: Atlantic Ocean archipelago
- Materials: volcanic rock (basalt), white stucco, wooden beams, pantile roof
If you’re confused about what some of these mean, please read the article on Spatial Typologies and Spatial Organisations.
Key Takeaways
- You can import specific ornaments as long as you use local building materials.
- Local building materials dictate not only the look and feel of a building, but also the scale of construction. Don’t exceed a scale that’s natural to the environment so as to not produce a strong negative impact on the natural setting.
- Instead of building a gigantic house, start small and add smaller buildings, connected through indoor hallways. This way, the scale of the construction remains the same, an so does the connection between indoor and outdoor environments.
- You can differentiate building elements by using different materials in accordance to their physical characteristics. If some materials are more durable, use them for structural elements. Keep them exposed in order for them to be easily distinguishable from lesser materials such as stucco.
- Use ceramic tiles as wall art in common spaces, both indoor and outdoor.
This article is taken from a self-published book, part of the Vacation Architecture Series.
Lastly, if you’d like,
You can order the book either as a collectible hardcover artbook or as an instant digital download.
Order the book here.
