Olaria Municipal by ARDE Arquitetura + Design: Revitalizing Pottery Heritage in Odemira

The Olaria Municipal project by ARDE Arquitetura + Design is a masterful intervention in the heart of Quinta da Estrela, a valley in Odemira, Portugal, whose landscape has been dramatically reshaped over the past thirty years. Originally, the slope surrounding the Quinta da Estrela house was removed to accommodate a parking lot, leaving the building isolated and vulnerable to structural damage.

ARDE Arquitetura + Design’s renovation and expansion restores both functionality and heritage, preserving the existing structure while introducing a new volume dedicated to kilns and technical areas. The rehabilitated portions of the original building now accommodate a potter’s workspace, kitchen, store, and restroom, carefully adapted to meet modern operational needs without compromising the building’s historic integrity.

The newly added volume, constructed entirely with handmade solid bricks, serves a dual purpose: it buttresses the damaged walls and creates a material dialogue with the existing structure. This design approach emphasizes craftsmanship, clay, and brick, allowing the industrial yet artisanal character of the building to shine. The simplicity of form ensures that materials remain the protagonist, connecting the architecture directly to the earth as a tribute to the excavated hillside.

In addition to structural improvements, ARDE Arquitectura + Design focused on enhancing the relationship between the building and its surroundings. The landscape near the main entrance was redesigned, and two gently sloping ramps were introduced, seamlessly linking the pottery house to the town and the broader Quinta da Estrela area.

All photographs are works of  Ivo Tavares Studio