Ermida House by Carlos Castanheira: A Sensitive Restoration of Memory and Landscape

Located in Oliveira do Douro, Portugal, the Ermida House by Carlos Castanheira is a masterclass in architectural preservation, storytelling, and landscape integration. This 228 m² residential project revives two ruins—Casa da Ermida de Baixo and Casa de Cima—transforming them into a unified yet respectful retreat overlooking the Douro River. Completed in 2021, the house is more than a reconstruction; it is a careful dialogue between past and present, structure and setting.

Architecture Rooted in Place and Memory

The site—once populated by riverside homes—became partially submerged following the construction of the Carrapatelo Dam. The classification of the area as a protected "Albufeira Reserved Zone" imposed strict development limitations, particularly around Casa da Ermida de Baixo, which now lies barely outside the protected 50-meter boundary from the river. By contrast, Casa de Cima, located slightly higher on the slope, offered more design flexibility.

Carlos Castanheira, renowned for his poetic approach to architecture, approached this landscape with respect and reverence. “They were there, and well, elevated above the River,” he reflects. “Rich in stories and histories. Unknown, but imagined.”

Rebuilding Within the Ruins

Rather than overwrite the past, Castanheira worked with what time and nature had left behind. Both volumes were cleared of invasive vegetation, revealing original granite walls shaped by skilled stonemasons. The architectural team stabilized these remnants, preserving the original massing while introducing new wooden structures and strategic fenestration to enhance views toward the Douro River.

The restoration was not about replicating the past but reviving its spirit. New materials—slate, granite, laminated zinc roofing, and birch plywood interiors—blend effortlessly with the old, creating an architectural narrative of continuity and change.

Program and Spatial Composition

The two houses, while technically separate, function as one cohesive home. On the lower level, the layout includes a kitchen and living area designed for social gathering and comfort. Above, a bedroom and bathroom offer private refuge. Though the volumes remain independent with two distinct roofs, they communicate in material language and scale.

Importantly, any attempt to physically unite the buildings was avoided to preserve the identity of each volume. Instead, they interact through the landscape and material palette—granite softened by time, wood clad in exterior slate, and warm birch interiors that enhance the tactile experience.

Integration with the Environment

The project emphasizes environmental sensitivity, both in terms of material selection and visual impact. The multicolored slate flooring, used both indoors and outdoors, creates a seamless flow through the site. All modern infrastructures—electric, plumbing, insulation—were discreetly integrated to maintain the purity of the architectural expression.

Moisture posed one of the greatest challenges due to the nature of the stone walls. Careful waterproofing and structural reinforcement allowed the ruins to remain legible while achieving contemporary levels of comfort and resilience.

A House in Balance

More than a house, Ermida House is a meditation on permanence, loss, and renewal. It exemplifies how contemporary architecture can reawaken forgotten places while preserving their soul. Castanheira did not impose a new narrative—he revealed the one that was already there.

Though the rebuilt eave lies just 49.5 meters from the river—skirting the edge of legal constraint—the result is architecture in equilibrium with both natural law and planning regulation, where design delicacy and architectural restraint yield a home that feels inevitable.

All Photographs are works of Fernando Guerra | FG + SG