Portuguese Architecture
Architecture and design work from Portugal, spanning residential, educational and vernacular projects across Porto, the Algarve and Alqueva.
Clad in Clay
Along the Coast A narrative of architecture that emerges, rather than one that is imposed. Every land possesses its own narrative—one that has taken shape over time, under the sun, in the path of the wind, and through the interplay of water and earth—long before it ever hosted architecture. What we call the architectural identity of a land today is not merel
23 SUL Digs Down and Opens Up a São Paulo House Instead of Stacking a Second Story on Top
In São Paulo, 23 SUL exposes timber trusses, strips old brick and excavates a meter into the ground to grow a one-story house without adding a floor.
Alan Chu Rings a Cerrado Hilltop Clearing with a Timber Sunset Pavilion in São Jorge, Brazil
In São Jorge, Brazil, a 57-metre ring of deck and roof hovers on slender piles around a sandy void, framing a sunset ritual the hilltop already hosted.
House in Macieira by Nelson Resende Arquitecto: A Sensitive Transformation Rooted in Context and Materiality
Adaptive reuse house blending wood, glass, and landscape, transforming traditional Portuguese architecture into a warm, open, contemporary living environment.
Ricardo Azevedo Arquitecto Gives a Braga House a Board-Formed Concrete Body and a Hand-Carved Timber Face
In Braga, Portugal, Linha House pairs cantilevered board-formed concrete with carved timber, veined stone and a long, low plan fronting a pool.
Elisa Porto Arquitetura Shades a Low House in Foz do Iguaçu with Block, Stone and Timber Screens
In Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil, Refuge House pairs a thin flat roof with perforated block and timber slat screens to temper sun around a curved pool.
Terra 1, 2, 3 Houses by Madeiguincho: Tiny Homes Immersed in Alqueva’s Natural Beauty
Terra 1, 2, 3 Houses by Madeiguincho are tiny, nature-integrated homes in Alqueva, Portugal, featuring cork facades, terraces, and passive design.
Gonçalo Grácio Refurbishes a 104 m² House Inside the Medieval Walls of Castelo de Vide
In Castelo de Vide, Portugal, a compact whitewashed house is reworked with rough lime and clay plaster, deep window niches and a small rooftop terrace.
Sertão Arquitetos Reworks a 105 m² Mantiqueira House from the Inside, Leaving Its Footprint Untouched
In São Francisco Xavier, Brazil, a renovation absorbs a veranda into a study and lets color, clay and timber do the work an extension would have done.
Oasis Under a Building by fala – Innovative Glass House in Porto, Portugal
Oasis Under a Building by fala is a minimalist, inverted glass house in Porto, blending concrete, transparency, fluid spaces, and poetic interior design.
Luis Canepa Arquitetos Renovates a Praia Preta Beach House Without Erasing Its Stone, Brick and Timber
A 281 m² L-shaped refurbishment in Praia Preta, Brazil, keeps the old house's rubble stone and whitewashed brick while turning it toward sea and sand.
Diogo Aguiar Studio Strings Eight Identical Timber Modules Across a Hillside Above Porto
In the Serras do Porto, a prefabricated timber house of identical sloping modules reads as a small mountain range and lets its program grow.
House in Cacela Velha by GSS arquitectos: Restoring Vernacular Harmony in the Algarve
Restored 20th-century farmhouse in Algarve blending traditional Portuguese architecture with modern elements, natural light, patio, and serene pool.
São Romão House by SAMF Arquitectos: A Contemporary Revival of Algarve’s Vernacular Heritage
São Romão House blends Algarve’s vernacular charm with contemporary design through thoughtful renovation, natural materials, and geometric clarity.
House in Toxofal: A Masterful Traditional House Renovation by Manuel Tojal Architects
This article explores the traditional house renovation of a 19th-century Portuguese home, blending heritage preservation with contemporary spatial design.
Levada House: A Model of Sustainable Courtyard House Design
Levada House by Tsou Arquitectos exemplifies sustainable courtyard house design, blending energy efficiency, reclaimed materials, and nature-integrated architecture in Portugal.
NOARQ Converts a Portuguese Grain Factory into Trofa's First Municipal Building
Portugal's youngest municipality finally gets a town hall, carved from an industrial ruin alongside an abandoned railway north of Porto.
Bruno Dias Arquitectura Splits an Old Ansião Building into Two Timber-Lined Apartments
Casa Verde Gago revives a green-painted house on a historic Portuguese street with plywood, concrete, and a courtyard carved from a wine cellar.
Atelier José Andrade Rocha Cracks Open a Lisbon Townhouse to Let the Garden In
In Márvila, a pandemic-era renovation preserves the street facade while building a new life around a gravel courtyard and climbing vines.
Sandro Ferreira Arquitectura Carves a Four-Level Residence into a Ten-Meter Slope in Braga
SA House replaces a ruined building on a steep central street with 845 square meters of travertine, walnut, and slate-clad urban living.
