PURA AZÓIA

The Place

This intervention is located in “Sintra”, in the Village of “Azóia”, the westernmost community in mainland Europe. It is a privileged area, located between mountains and imposing cliffs overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, where the magnificent Cape “Cabo da Roca” arises. The area is described by the acclaimed poet “Luís Vaz de Camões” as "where land ends and sea begins" and it was elected, by Peace Blossom, as “an inspirational place for Humanity to build a World in Peace and Harmony”.

At the top of the picturesque street “Rua do Bêco” lays the house. When it was first seen, it was indistinguishable from an old abandoned tightly packed stone wall, physically and visually impenetrable, entirely taken over by dense brambles and years of neglect.

The Intention

Moved by the desire to give renewed use and meanings to old things valuing them, the architect Pedro Quintela believes that he has, in his most careful look, the gift of transforming what he touches. This ruin confirms this recovery / reconstruction sense.

He believes that a structured evolution does not rely in the radical and, sometimes egocentric, change proposed, but in a humble and wise holistic transformation, which respects the site’s full history.

Concept

This concept perceives Architecture as an evolution process, which as in nature, is interconnected in three main phases: Adaptation (immediate responses of the place); Transformation (reflection) and Crystallization (Creation). By this way it is intended a a consistent intervention, from which arises a harmonious place, not only with its context , but also with the intentions / claims of those who have created it. Only going through this process, can he consider the work to be authentic, respecting "The Spirit of the Place".

The Exterior

The harsh climate of the site and the proximity of the surrounding houses compelled opening the house towards the West. Beyond providing protection from the strong winds and rains from the North, this orientation granted privacy regarding surrounding houses. It provides as well a wonderful view of the picturesque street “Rua do Bêco” and the Atlantic Ocean, whose amazing sunsets can be seen over a very clear horizon line.

The limited area of the lot heightened the architect’s creativity as he was prized to create pleasant outdoor spaces on all floors, surprising and delighting those who enjoy this home today.

Privacy and lots of natural light

The opening point of spans is revealed as you get to know the house. Upon entering, although no window can be seen, one feels the delightfully magic presence of indirect natural light flowing through the spaces. Occasional gashes and strategically placed skylights allow the light to sweep the walls, harmonizing the environment through gradients of light and shadow resulting from organic shapes of walls and their smooth finishes with no right angles, "that invite you to come in." These openings ensure the visual connection with the exterior. They act as picture frames of a constantly changing sky.

The decoration

As the house was developed, so did the decor. The holistic concept the architect believes in also takes these mergers into account. Understanding what the spaces of the house are asking for was the last step to take before completion.

Strategically placed objects belong where they are, conveying the spatial understanding developed from the beginning of the work. Ultimately, a new life redesigned and transformed to belong to this house as she returned to belong to the place.

Conclusion

Through his holistic concept, the architect worked the disorganized energies, using them, assimilating them and organizing them to form a specific structure with identity, creating beauty, truth and value.

The intervention sought to go further than building a home with nostalgic memories of the past, further than standard rash site assumptions. The aim was to understand the place through its intangible qualities, its myths, its legends, its policies and its humanity. The challenge for the architect was to infuse this intervention with the morphology of the place.