© Richard John Seymour
The thinly settled region of the Alentejo, south of Lisbon, was traditionally regarded as one of the poorest parts of Portugal. In recent times, however, it is attracting more and more citizens from the capital, people who wish to escape the stress of the city and the streams of tourists.
The present house, built by Atelier Data near Cercal, not far from the Atlantic coast, serves a family of four as a weekend residence. With its white-rendered facades and flat-pitched roof with pantiles, the new structure follows building traditions typical of the region. The symmetrical form of the house, the absence of windows in the outer walls, and the four enclosed patios at the corners of the structure lend it a contemporary architectural appearance.
The present house, built by Atelier Data near Cercal, not far from the Atlantic coast, serves a family of four as a weekend residence. With its white-rendered facades and flat-pitched roof with pantiles, the new structure follows building traditions typical of the region. The symmetrical form of the house, the absence of windows in the outer walls, and the four enclosed patios at the corners of the structure lend it a contemporary architectural appearance.