LU Litarru Douro

S. João da Pesqueira, Portugal

Housing

508 m²

2022

Set on the south bank of the Douro River, an isolated white house sits on a hillside overlooking the valley. The property is composed of two parts with distinct characters. The main house retains the presence of a traditional rural dwelling, with stone-framed openings oriented towards the river. Adjacent to it, an annexe is partially embedded in the ground, defined by thick walls and a heavier, more infrastructural base.

The project began with two objectives: the first was to restore the main house while preserving the qualities that anchored it to the site; the second was to rework the annexe so it could support contemporary domestic use without changing its original footprint. This parallel approach treated the existing construction as a framework to be clarified and extended, keeping the overall silhouette legible within the protected Douro landscape.

The annexe is redefined through a clear material and tectonic distinction. Its stone foundation is maintained as a grounded base, above which a minimal timber structure is introduced. Timber window frames and a flat roof give the new volume a quieter presence and reinforce continuity with the surrounding vegetation and topography, maintaining direct visual and spatial connection to the valley.

Internally, the main house accommodates the primary day spaces. The ground floor includes a living room and a small toilet, while the upper floor contains two bedrooms with a shared bathroom, a master suite, and an additional living room that connects to the renovated annexe. This last one hosts an open kitchen and dining area, supported by laundry and pantry spaces. Below, within the stone base, two guest suites provide privacy and a more contained relationship to the terrain.