Part of a condominium of 4 villas, sustainable development in the resort village of Meco- Portugal
Villa D is located on the South East side of the land, inserted into the landscape over the lower platform of the scheme with minimal visual impact from the road. The house is created on the natural slope of the terrain and located on the left-hand side of the central axis of the plot. Villa D has its own sense of private space with an extensive view of the surrounding landscape. The house embraces the east side of the site to benefit from as much sunlight as possible and maximise distribution of natural light reaching the indoor environment.
The volume maintains its design identity, while emphasising the composition of the scheme as a series of interconnected structures in an architectural harmony. A pedestrian path connects the Villa to the communal green area with a pond and paddle tennis court.
The construction uses exposed concrete to provide a robust and rich surface quality for walls, columns, floors and ceilings. The visual concrete is in light natural shade concrete with smooth, matt and uniform texture, to give an air of simplicity in a neutral environment, creating connections with the natural settings. The entrance of the villa is framed by two external walls with natural stone masonry, sourced from local quarries.
The open plan layouts of the villa provide a comfortable living space that has the flexibility to adapt to future needs. Living, dining and cooking spaces together with an office/ bedroom are located on the ground floor with full height glass panels and unobstructed openings into the garden. The interior is surrounded by an extensive and private courtyard, which includes an entertaining area with a covered terrace, swimming pool and lawn.
There are three bedrooms situated on the first floor with large covered terraces, providing panoramic vistas of the surrounding landscape. Pergolas with slim wooden profiles provide protection from the sun and extend the interior into a protected outdoor space. The garage for two cars is located in the front, adjutant to the main entrance. The main corridor connects this garage and the entrance hall to the living area and the courtyard. The staircase located at the main entrance connects the main corridor to the first-floor landing with full height large glass window.
Taking the full advantage of construction footprint, a rooftop terrace is created within the green roof. Space is defined and protected from the wind by a short concrete wall to provide an extensive sunbathing area with uninterrupted views. This terrace is accessed via an independent external staircase, which also provides safe access for maintenance of the roof. The project uses an integrated rainwater harvesting system with green roofs and collection pond. A centralised ground-mounted photovoltaic (PV) system is the power generation source for all houses with renewable energy. This system is positioned away from the villa, at the rear and lower part of the site to avoid view disruption. The house uses an independent but integrated compact solar-assisted Heating Ventilation and Air-Conditioning (HVAC) system, connected to the main (PV) system.