TRACES Alentejo

A Geometric Architectural Guest House in the Portuguese Countryside

Sitting in a lush garden on more than 8,000 square meters of land, this architectural guest house by João Lemos and Yang Yang of NTYPE Architecture stands only 15 minutes from the Costa Vincentina and its beautiful beaches. Yet it's grounded firmly in its natural countryside surroundings.

Formed of concrete with natural pigmentations, the tiny home appears to emerge from the landscape, its shapes based on the pure forms of the square, triangle and circle. Designed to capture the region’s natural light, the sustainable modern space offers seamless indoor-outdoor living and a visual immersion in the enchanting, forested region.

Layout

The guest house is a studio space with a bed in the main living area, a separate bathroom, plus showers inside and outside. It is located within an expansive garden that is shared with the host's home, and guests are invited to make full use of the communal pool.

Additional information

Available in advance at additional cost: massage, yoga and pilates instruction, wine tastings, fado concerts, cheese and bread atelier visit and tasting, ceramic workshops and artists’ studio visits. Also available: outdoor recreation opportunities such as hiking next to the Rota Vicentina walking trails awarded Leading Quality Trails - Best of Europe, boating, kayaking, horseback riding, fishing and birdwatching. The house has a rainwater collection system.

Around

Located in southwestern Portugal, a short drive to the Parque Natural do Sudoeste Alentejano e Costa Vicentina’s many stunning beaches, this best-of-both-worlds property combines seclusion and architectural sophistication with easy access to the rich natural world surrounding it. The pavilion is tucked into a forested area, with views across the twisting cork oak forests of the region and dark night skies promising excellent star gazing.

The Park covers some 100 kilometers from Porto Covo in the Alentejo to Burgau in the Algarve region. The region is defined by steep cliffs along the shore, and the area is popular both with bird watchers who come for dozens of rare species including fishing eagles and white storks, and surfers, who enjoy its wide stretches of sand and its smaller coves, tucked into the cliffs. The park’s extreme southwestern section is its wildest, home to the lighthouse of the Cape of São Viente and the Sagres promontory, site of one of Portugal’s historic nautical schools from the 15th century.

Location

Alentejo coast, Portugal. Nearest airport: Faro (150km)

Best time to visit

April to November