Alfeição New House
A new house in the hills above Loulé in the Algarve.
The house is set within a hollow in the landscape, allowing it to sit low within its site and respond to the surrounding topography. A deep overhanging roof extends beyond the walls to provide shelter from the summer sun, creating shaded external areas and reinforcing the relationship between building and ground. The form is simple and grounded, with the building shaped by climate, orientation and views.
Materials are drawn from the local context, including Portuguese limestone, clay tiles and clay plaster, with an oak-lined soffit and a copper roof providing durability and weather protection. Large metal-framed openings are positioned to capture long views across the surrounding hills and valleys towards the Atlantic, while maintaining a sense of enclosure within the landscape.
A series of terraces steps down the hillside, allowing the house to extend outward and form a clear connection to its setting. A swimming pool is set within this sequence, integrated into the slope. Low-impact systems, including ground-sourced water, ground source cooling, photovoltaics and battery storage, support a low-energy approach and form part of the wider Alfeição estate project.