Simona is an interior design and décor writer for Homedit. Since 2011, she has been writing about interior design, DIY solutions, and the latest trends in home architecture.
Some of the most inspiring and timeless architectural creations come from a desire to work in harmony with nature and to take advantage of the topography, landscape and views in the best way possible. Such a marvelous creation was a weekend family retreat designed and built by architecture studio Carvalho Araújo. The building was erected on a steeply sloped site from Peneda-Gerês National Park in the Northern part of Portugal. There are two naturally-formed ponds on the site: one at the top of the hillside and one at the bottom. They’re connected by a stream.
The house takes the place of an old structure which used to sit at the top of the site. That building was demolished and a new one was built in its place, better positioned and equipped to withstand the occasional landslides occurring in the area. A good and organization relation between the house and the land was crucial and all the efforts of the architects went into making it possible. They managed that by taking advantage of the steep slopes and the mesmerizing views and by embedding the house into the site and allowing the volumes to cantilever.