Forja House

Forja House is a small dwelling located in a Portuguese village, close to Douro River. The nature of the terrain, characterized by a succession of slopes, defines the typology of the solution, embedded in the hill. Facing a privileged landscape, but facing the northeast, a slender solution is chosen to maintain the views, without giving up the best solar orientation – opening generous spaces on both
sides.



The context is bucolic, with difficult access and close to some houses. Among these, the oldest in schist stand out, mixed with more recent examples that fail to mimic older models, resulting in a partially uncharacteristic context.



The house, more isolated from this set, assumes its contemporary and abstract nature.


The interior is characterized by the simplicity of its materials, also reflected in a clear and direct typological design. The social floor resumes to a single central volume in plywood, contrasting with the concrete floor. A fluid design is intended, with the living, dining and kitchen spaces connected as an informal and contiguous area. The relation with nature is privileged with generous windows.
The fact that this floor is elevated results in a close relation with the canopies, which have a very strong presence in the characterization of the interior social space. The lower floor, partially buried, and associated with the sleeping area, has a more protected and cavernous logic

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