Scroll to top
Architecture | Residential & Houses

PPA house


NO ARQUITECTOS, LDA. - NOARQ



Short description

The plot has an area of 931.00 m2, situated on a curved corner with a tight angle. The topography is approximately 1.0 m above street reference levels, following the inclination.
It is an urban area in the process of definition, where rurality predominates. The landscape does not raise specific concerns. It is eclectic, fractured, and dispersed. The plot is part of a housing development. The request is for a single-family dwelling project, with three bedrooms and covered parking.
The main concern is the public exposure of the domestic space, considering the relationship between the length of the street frontage and the geometry and area of the plot.
The house occupies an area of 357.70 m2 and is developed on a single floor. The layout is an irregular polygon defined by the alignments of the surrounding streets. In the center of the polygon, there is a quadrangular-shaped courtyard.
The building program is divided into three zones:

1. Social area exposed to the corner, facing the southwest.
2. Bedroom area, delineate the north side and opens to the courtyard on the east side.
3. Covered parking, protects the south front and opening to the west.
The main living and service areas of the house are organized in sequence around the central courtyard, which supports domestic activities and is sheltered from the elements by a covered exterior gallery.
The social area comprises a living room and dining room, seamlessly connected to the kitchen and breakfast area. Kitchen furniture, has 2.1m of height, partially separate the common space and provide access to the pantry and laundry room.
The private area of the house consists of two bedrooms, a shared bathroom, and a bedroom with a dressing area and en-suite bathroom. The parking area is connected to the kitchen, by a glass vestibule.
The design strategy is based on sustainability as an ethical principle, prioritizing economic sustainability and the life cycle of construction. It is a response to the time of architecture; to the meteorological time; and the time of the energy efficiency, energy certification, safety, ecology, and inclusivity.
The house seeks a passive and a structural architecture without formal or constructive artifices.
The structural walls and floors expose their concrete nature, while the remaining walls are economically clad in plastered masonry.
The facades are clad with External Thermal Insulation Composite System (ETICS). The ceilings are made of plasterboard, concealing the house's infrastructure networks for reasons of economy and accessibility.
The underfloor heating system covers the entire area of the house.
The exterior pavements are made of cobblestones that emerge from the ground, specifically granite.
The property walls are concealed by vegetation. The vegetation is part of the landscaping strategy, achieved through the selection of endemic species native to the local area.

Entry details
LocationTrofa - Portugal
Lead designerJose Carlos Nunes Oliveira (Architecture author and managing partner)
Design teamProject Managers: Sara Bitossi (Project Phase), Gaia Ferraris (Construction Phase), Collaborators: Giulia Furlotti, Sruthy Lakkimsetty, Gloria Herranz, Beatriz Gapo
Consultant teamStructures: Eng. João Maria Sobreira with Humberto Delgado; Hidraulic - Eng. Raquel Fernandes; Acoustics INACOUTICS - Eng. Octávio Inácio, Eng. Filipa Abreu; Electricity, Telecomunications, Security and Electromechanics: Eng. Alexandre Martins; Gas and HVAC - Eng. Nuno Miranda
Photography creditsJoão Morgado
Share project