Along the rural landscape of Alentejo, Portugal stands Casa Azul, a newly-completed residence by local studio Bak Gordon Arquitectos.
The elongated, ochre-coloured residence sits on a terrain of grass and sand, punctuated by large openings along its façade. Running along the length of the house is a swimming pool, widest at its center and narrow at both ends. The pool sits between two imposing double-height volumes called the ‘fresco rooms’ -open-air buildings whose long benches make it the perfect lounging place.
Just like its façade, the interiors are covered with pigmented lime mortar, a common material used in Alentejo’s ancestral builds. The living, kitchen and dining areas take up the same length as that of the swimming pool. This social area, along with Casa Azul’s three ensuite bedrooms, are arranged around a charming interior courtyard with a small water feature in one corner.
In this region of flat landscapes and harsh sunlight, Casa Azul is a home designed to explore the relationship between light and shadow. Visit the studio’s website and follow them on Instagram.
Other residences set in dramatic landscapes include this sculptural home in California and an oval-shaped school in the middle of India’s Thar desert.
Photography © Francisco Nogueira for Bak Gordon Arquitectos