Single-family house

CASA CARVALHO

LOCATION

Braga, Portugal

Ano

2022

CONSTRUCTION AREA

442,60 m2

LAND AREA

781,00 m2

Client

Private

Photographer

Attilio Fiumarella

CASA CARVALHO

Casa Carvalho is situated in a residential area, surrounded by rich vegetation and a rare landscape. The basic idea stemmed from creating a single-family home whose interior would establish a connection with the outdoor leisure spaces. One of the major challenges in developing this project was finding a balance between taking advantage of the expansive views oriented to the north and capturing sunlight on the remaining facades.

The building was divided into two axes that form an "L," opening up the angle to maximize the distance between the two sections. The volumetric arrangement sought to create a parallelism to the street, where the social aspect develops, maximizing the possibility for the entire house to orient towards the interior of the lot while not forgoing the available southern light.

This issue was resolved by opening the rooms to both fronts; to the south, we felt the need to create permeable elements—vertically to ensure privacy, and horizontally through a concrete pergola that maximizes light entry on both floors.

The outdoor space is assumed as the project's central point, establishing the transition between the social and private areas while maintaining the sense of unity between the volumes.

Alongside the form, the selected materiality complements the volumetric intentions, primarily using timeless, low-maintenance materials considered brutalist, such as exposed natural concrete and exposed brick. When combined with distinct textures, these materials bring a unique character to the place. The scored concrete and the brown Mondego exposed brick, with different applications, convey a more complex and striking image of the facade, perceived from both the interior and exterior.

The Vale da Gândara brick, due to its versatile applications within the same range, allowed the study of different images between facades, creating distinct shadow effects while respecting the same chromatic scheme. Thus, three distinct applications were defined:

  • Herringbone pattern, , enhancing the facade's movement with different perceptions as the light incidence changes. It marks the long planes and transitions between volumes;
  • Cobogó, present on the main facade, its permeable application helped solve the issue of light absorption while maintaining the privacy of interior spaces. This element rests on a metal beam to create privacy on the upper floor while allowing light to penetrate the lower floor.
  • On the lower floor, a solution of glued tiles was chosen to convey an image of a structural brick wall.

Considering these are non-standard applications, the study and on-site supervision presented various challenges to achieve the desired appearance. For the herringbone solution, it required prior study to minimize waste from cutting pieces and ensure joint-free application, demanding meticulous work from all involved teams. The main challenge with the cobogó was reinforcing the intersection points of the pieces to ensure their resistance and durability over time.

Regarding the owners' openness, it was an easy and natural process; they embraced the proposed solution with great openness. They gave us the freedom to explore bolder solutions, experimenting with textures and roughness, which is evident in the striking result.