Portuguese Vacation Architecture

Vacation Architecture in Coastal Portugal

One cannot deny how much geographical position has shaped Portuguese culture. They host the oceanic entryway towards Europe, they have several types of coastal regions, their exposure towards the ocean is much larger than that of their neighboring country – Spain. This article describes a type of Portuguese Vacation Architecture we many times see in coastal areas.

This article is 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 home we’re studying is located in the wider metropolitan area of Lisbon. Lisbon is one the oldest cities in the world. It is the westernmost major city in continental Europe. It has a very unique position. Although benefiting from direct access towards the Atlantic Ocean, it’s shielded from the ocean itself, orientated towards the East and South-East, opening towards the Tagus River – the longest river in the Iberian Peninsula.

Portuguese Vacation Architecture | sorinadumitru.com

This position, together with the mild Mediterranean climate, has offered many unfair advantages to the Portuguese for thousands of years. For a very long time, it’s been a place where city dwellers could thrive. As such, there is no trace left of the original natural setting, but the unique overall yellowish look of limestone facades against the clear blue skies. Yellowy-orange sunsets remind us that we’re not too far off from Africa.

Portugal Color Palette | sorinadumitru.com

Historical Context

Portuguese culture is widely shaped by its geographical location. Historically they are excellent oceanic navigators and fishermen. Consequently, fisherman towns are widely spread on the coasts of Portugal.

While the city of Lisbon is located on the northern bank of the Tagus River, the southern bank is home to a less densely populated area. Alcochete, this particular town, is a fisherman town and probably the best place to have fish in the entire continent.

General Architectural Solution

Fisherman towns are densely populated with row houses and narrow streets. The houses act as seasonal homes for the fishermen. As a result, they are small and modest, mostly used as storage and not so much as housing per se.

Portuguese Vacation Architecture | sorinadumitru.com

Over the past decades, fishermen have no longer been practicing their traditional profession the way they have been for millennia. As is the case with many other agricultural processes, fishing has too become industrialized, rendering the fishermen’s houses obsolete. This is an opportunity for adaptive reuse – an architectural design process in which, to put it simply, a building that used to be something, becomes something else. In this case, a fisherman’s house becomes a vacation home.

 

Casa de Pescador

  • Shape: small box, completely linked to neighbouring constructions
  • Spatial Typology: chambered
  • Spatial Organisation: grid
  • Functionality: seasonal housing, minimal storage
  • Location: flat or steep shorelines
  • Materials: plastered brick, stone ornaments, wooden beams, pantile roof, very few medium sized windows

If you’re confused about what some of these mean, please read the article on Spatial Typologies and Spatial Organisations.

Key Takeaways

  1. When a building becomes obsolete, instead of completely demolishing it, you can adapt its interior in order for it to provide comfort to its occupants while not altering the original look of the town.
  2. Detaching the outer shell from the functional structure will make the space inside more flexible. You can add an extra partial floor to further expand the usable surface area.
  3. Nothing is sexier than a “sleeper” building. At first glance, it’s a simple, traditional, modest house. Inside, however, it’s a fresh, clean, contemporary scandi-influenced space.
  4. Extremely neutral styles like Japandi, Wabi Sabi or Organic Modern for the interior go well with any type of exterior, setting or cultural heritage. This is due to the minimalism, use of natural materials and neutral color palette.

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.

Portuguese Vacation Architecture | sorinadumitru.com

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