Alcácer do Sal Retirement Home by Aires Mateus

DATE

18.08.2025

Set atop a hill overlooking the Sado River, the house unfolds as an almost archaeological intervention: a structure partially embedded in the earth, seeking to blend with its surroundings rather than dominate them. This approach not only shields the residence from the intense Alentejo heat but also evokes a sense of shelter and rootedness in the land—an enduring theme in the studio’s work.

From the outside, the building appears as a series of white, geometric volumes that emerge discreetly from the terrain. Sloped roofs, blind walls, and minimal openings reinforce an austere, silent architectural language. This formal purity is not incidental, but rather the result of a deeply considered logic: every element has a purpose, from capturing natural light to orienting the living spaces. The whole recalls an ancestral architecture, reinterpreted through contemporary means.

Inside, the house continues this pursuit of essentiality. The spaces are open, luminous, and defined by a restrained palette of materials: white stucco, light wood, and natural stone. Light—filtered through patios, skylights, and strategic openings—becomes another material, shaping the atmosphere of each room. Transitions between public and private, interior and exterior spaces are fluid, reflecting Aires Mateus’ mastery of the domestic scale as a sensorial and emotional experience.

The Alcácer do Sal house is a paradigmatic example of the poetic yet radically contemporary approach of Manuel and Francisco Aires Mateus. Beneath its minimalist appearance lies a reinterpretation of Mediterranean tradition through conceptual rigor. It is a demonstration of how architecture can engage with the landscape through respect and introspection, creating spaces that are not only inhabited but also deeply felt. As in many of their works, the essential becomes extraordinary.

MARCH VALENCIA | ARQUITECTURA Y DISEÑO

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