Architects: José Adrião Arquitetos
Area: 3358 ft²
Year: 2024
Photographs: Francisco Nogueira
City: Melides
Country: Portugal
150 Melides House, a residential building by José Adrião Arquitetos in Melides, Portugal, replaces a rural dwelling originally built for forestry or farming use. Developed under strict territorial laws, the project retains the footprint of pre-existing structures while introducing a basement and extending the upper level. The house is articulated through two connected volumes—one elongated for shared living areas, the other cubic for circulation and private functions. Natural light and ventilation shape the interior design, with three patios activating the basement level and reestablishing a connection between indoor spaces and the surrounding landscape.
150 Melides House is located on a flat site a few kilometers inland from Portugal’s Atlantic coast. The surrounding region is sparsely inhabited, with houses dispersed across irregularly sized plots. Originally, these properties—including the one under consideration—were designated for foresters or farmers, intended primarily for agricultural use.
The site, known as Quinta das Oliveiras, reflects this rural typology. It features a cultivated section, a pine woodland, and a cluster of buildings marked by low construction quality. The structures included a main house and several auxiliary sheds, all of which were functionally obsolete and legally constrained in terms of redevelopment.
The project was shaped by territorial management rules that strictly regulated intervention. Existing buildings could only be replaced if the new construction maintained their footprint. Within this framework, the regulations permitted a basement level and allowed an increase of 20% in the footprint of the upper floor, defining the basic parameters of the architectural strategy.
The design conforms to these planning restrictions, organizing interior spaces within the footprint limits and favoring natural light and ventilation to enhance living conditions. The spatial arrangement of the house was conceived to align with both regulatory demands and site-specific environmental factors.
The new construction consists of two adjacent volumes that reestablish a functional and visual relationship with the outdoors. The lower, elongated volume houses an open-plan kitchen, dining area, and living space. The second, higher and cubic in form, contains the staircase that connects to the bedroom above and a service area below.
Natural light and airflow reach the basement through three patios located to the north, south, and east. These voids allow the underground areas to function as part of the house’s lived space, contributing to overall comfort and enabling compliance with rural planning laws while updating the typology with precision and restraint.
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Project Location
Address: Melides, Portugal
Location is for general reference and may represent a city or country, not necessarily a precise address.
