An Imperfect House

It was in July 2021 that the adventure of this project began, a project that holds a special place in our hearts.

We drew a circle on the map: a one-hour radius from Lisbon. We found the perfect plot in the middle of a forest near Coruche. It was the right place, at the right scale, surrounded by pine and cork oak trees, and home to a small, old, simple and beautiful house, originally built for a life of sustenance. The place had soul. And we began to dream.

Many of the projects that are born in our studio begin with a magical moment: a family walks through the door, eyes shining, hearts full of plans. They carry with them the joy of those about to turn a dream into reality, the dream of building their home.

This time, though, there was one key difference: we were the client.

When we design for others, we try to immerse ourselves in the client’s dream. Through a series of stages and small development presentations, we arrive at a result that is, inevitably, a collective effort.

The client becomes a key part of the solution.

Designing dreams demands this, reaching an outcome that truly reflects what was envisioned: a home for this family, and no other. That is precisely what drives us in architecture: SERVICE; the privilege of being in a position to help make someone’s dream a reality. Not only the romantic and artistic side, but also the human side, managing expectations, emotions, and finances, all equally important to the final result.

And now? How do we serve ourselves? How do we manage our own insecurities? How do you present a project to yourself? How do you discuss it, refine it, challenge it?

For the first time, we were faced with all these questions and uncertainties. We had to take the first step without knowing where we were headed, trust the path before we could understand it, and seek a destination we did not yet know , but one that, somehow, was already calling to us.

And so, we began. And, like any journey, there were stops along the way:

1. First Stop: Contemplating the site, defining the programme, designing the project. The house is located in a forest of pine and cork oak trees near Coruche.

   
   

   It’s a traditional vernacular Ribatejo house, built in the first half of the 20th century to house a family who lived off the land. Simple and humble in character, the house reflects the form and function of traditional homes of the time and region: clay brick walls, timber roof structure, lime mortars.One house, four rooms, a bread oven, and a well.Its quiet presence in the landscape gently called out to us.

   
   

   The project was founded on sustainability, not as a discourse, but as a real, lived practice: preserving what was there, intervening with discretion, choosing honest, durable, natural, local materials.

   
   

   Cork for insulation, lime in the mortars, timber structure.A project with no desire to show off, where every decision was guided by energy efficiency, resource efficiency, and a careful selection of contemporary materials that followed the logic of past choices. The corrugated metal roof is an example, a material often associated with modest, precarious solutions, used here with elegance and consistency.

   
   

2. Second Stop: Construction tender and contractor selection. We launched the construction tender in spring 2022, after a careful selection of local builders. The post-lockdown context, combined with the remote location, revealed a market with limited capacity. After a year and a half of waiting, the final choice fell not on the best, but on the only available contractor.

   
   

3. Third Stop: Construction. Construction began, but it quickly became clear that the building team wasn’t the right fit. The team shrank significantly, the pace slowed, and it became evident that the model had to change.Giving up was not an option, and as so often happens, it is in adversity that new paths appear.When we realised we couldn’t do it alone, we asked for help.

   
   

4. Fourth Stop: Friendship. We decided to take a more hands-on role in parts of the process. We asked family and friends for help, in key moments like applying cork insulation, exterior carpentry, painting, planting.

   
   

   At each of these stages, we combined the necessary work with unforgettable memories, lively evenings, shared meals, and celebrations of life. And so, the path that had been unclear at the start began to take shape.

We built a house for ourselves, with our friends and family.

Of course, throughout this journey, not every detail lived up to our usual standards. There were issues, here and there, and the final result is far from an immaculate house.

This project was an exercise in learning and humility.

For the first time, we truly placed ourselves in the client’s shoes, we felt, more deeply, their worries, their vulnerabilities, their difficult decisions. And that, today, makes us more attentive professionals, more empathetic, and more demanding of our own work.It taught us that excellence is not measured solely by formal perfection, but by the integrity of the process. And that only those who have faced these challenges can truly lead them with both sensitivity and rigour.

Now that the project is finished, and many will see it for the first time, we can say with full hearts that we are immensely proud of it.It’s not a perfect house, but it is beautiful, it is true, and it reflects who we are.

To see more pictures here.