The Dune House

Grândola, Portugal

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Other Projects by Pereira Miguel Arquitectos

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The Dune House

Grândola, Portugal

Firm

Pereira Miguel Arquitectos

Type

Residential › Private House

STATUS

Built

YEAR

2008

Here we are, 25 hectares of land, trees here and there and sand everywhere. Where are we going to plant a house? On the road of course! We build two Barchan dunes over the road and at the sides of the house. This way we can still cross it over. Maybe one day a goat can graze on the dune while we dive on the swimming pool. The project tries to establish a new relationship between architecture and landscape, buy using the two universes into one unique group. The two artificial sand dunes connect the house to the landscape and extend its limits far away. In the middle of these two hills, four concrete arms shelter all living functions, in a crisscross direction. The roof undulates, in a warp shape, creating different interior and exterior atmospheres. Crossing the house trough the roof becomes an experience in itself, giving new points of view over the landscape, and reminding us of the old road that crossed the landscape. Location – The decision to locate the house was based on two major points: easy access; and opened area. Both aspects where intended to reduce the intervention to a minimum, in terms of cutting trees and changing local natural conditions. The chosen place was an old sand road near a clearing. Orientation – Most of the windows are oriented south in order to promote the solar gains in the winter. The largest window, from the living room, is protected by a concrete slab that leaves the glass windows in shade during the summer period. The swimming pool is facing south and promotes the air cooling during the summer. Patios and ventilation – the two exterior sorts of patios, promote the cooling of the house and provide all rooms with transversal ventilation. They will have different plants and shrubs growing in order to create a cooling system. Thermal Inertia - Due to the particular climate, very hot in the summer but with a high variation of temperature between day and night, we have designed thick and heavy walls. They are constituted by an exterior 20cm concrete slab, 2cm ventilation camera, 3cm insulation panel and 11cm interior brick wall. The weight of the whole wall delays the heat and cold cycles, so when it’s hot outside its cool inside, and when it’s cold outside its warm inside. Dunes and sand ceiling – The dunes are made out of the excavation sand and the construction remains, therefore minimizing costs and material dislocation. Both dunes and the ceiling (which is to be entirely finished with sand and natural vegetation) will help to maintain a constant interior temperature, because of the natural earth’s thermal inertia.

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The Dune House

Grândola, Portugal

Other Projects by Pereira Miguel Arquitectos

Casas Caiadas

The Dune House

Grândola, Portugal

Product Spec Sheet

Collaborating Firms

Team