A Cantilevered Roof Makes This House Look Surreal

A lot of times when designing and building a house the biggest challenges come from constraints related to the site. That has been made very clear by a project called GR House which was completed by architect Paulo Martins in 2018. The house was built on a piece of land with a very unusual geometry.

The overall design and architecture of the house, although minimalist, mimic the surroundings
The overall design and architecture of the house, although minimalist, mimic the surroundings

The highly irregular shape imposed many restrictions and ultimately meant that the house would be unique and shaped by the land and the immediate surroundings. The west wing of the house is particularly unusual in terms of overall shape and geometry.

This is a house literally shaped by the landscape around it, with a design based on a lot of constraints
This is a house literally shaped by the landscape around it, with a design based on a lot of constraints
The openings are few but strategically-placed, usually in the form of patios and skylights
The openings are few but strategically-placed, usually in the form of patios and skylights
The social areas of the house are facing east and offers views of the valley
The social areas of the house are facing east and offers views of the valley

The entryway features this oversized pivot door which looks super cool and at the same time gives the house a futuristic and very sleek appearance. Another design feature worthy of attention is the cantilevered section which has this circular skylight opening in it. It’s a detail which helps to create an organic relationship between the house and its immediate surroundings together with details such as the earthy color palette, the few but well-placed openings and the abundance of natural light throughout the house.

The kitchen, dining room and living area share an open plan with full-height panorama windows and skylight lighting
The kitchen, dining room and living area share an open plan with full-height panorama windows and skylight lighting
The social volumes and the private spaces are separated by a large patio
The social volumes and the private spaces are separated by a large patio
The covered surfaces add warmth to the house and make even open spaces look inviting
The covered surfaces add warmth to the house and make even open spaces look inviting
The flat roof cantilevers to form patios and terraces, ensuring a seamless indoor-outdoor transition
The flat roof cantilevers to form patios and terraces, ensuring a seamless indoor-outdoor transition
A series of skylights introduce natural sunlight into the main areas of the house
A series of skylights introduce natural sunlight into the main areas of the house
The overall design is mainly closed off due to the unusual orientation constraints
The overall design is mainly closed off due to the unusual orientation constraints
The color palette, materials and finishes used throughout the house are simple, pure and inspired by nature
The color palette, materials and finishes used throughout the house are simple, pure and inspired by nature