César Machado Moreira has produced a holiday house in the north of Portugal on the site of ruins to create a silent connection with its history.

The project is located in Afife, and incorporates the remaining ruins into a new structure for a single family that can also accommodate guests.

The four rooms located in the main ruin respond to this objective, while in the garden a concrete and glass box with the function of living and dining room, introduces a visual relationship between the social spaces and the garden. Placed perpendicular to the existing building, the two areas are a lowered patio, for meals sheltered from the prevailing north winds.

The absence of sloping roofs maintains the image of the building as ruins, while inside the house the space is characterised by monochromatic surfaces and the presence of wood, in contrast to the thick stone walls.

This project has been longlisted in the rural house category of Dezeen Awards 2022.

Architect: César Machado Moreira

Project: Casa na Gateira