Besides the country’s maiden success on football's biggest stage, there has also been a few jewels in the Portuguese crown that have gone unnoticed – one being this expansive modern villa designed by Camarim Arquitectos.
Conceived as a ‘walk in the countryside’, the secluded villa lays embedded in the rolling terrain of Penela, a municipality in the central Coimbra district, and presents spectacular views over the southern tip of Serra da Estrela; the highest point in mainland Portugal.
Instead of being in debt to the surroundings, the property stands proudly in the country’s dramatic landscape. Camarim succeeded in achieving such stature by deciding to interfere as little as possible with the existing surroundings. Consequently, the property adopts a low-level, low-profile façade that is defined by three connected volumes built deep into the terrain.
The home itself is accessed at the site’s upper level, through a wall that evokes the region’s traditions for slate buildings before cascading down to the home’s core. This dynamic, communal room is split across two levels, containing the modern amenities in one side while the other consists of an outdoor terrace and pool. As one would expect, it is here where the dwelling continues to extend naturally alongside the topography and where you gain unparalleled access to some of Europe’s finest views.
Images courtesy of Camarim Arquitectos & Nelson Garrido.
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