Tóló House

Meeting Nature on its Own Terms

Unfolding down a rocky slope in undulating geometric forms, this holiday home for rent in Portugal makes a bold modern statement in an otherwise natural context. Designed by Portuguese architect Alvaro Leite Siza (son of the Pritzker Prize-winning architect of the same name), the home is an intoxicating installation of graphic concrete forms firmly anchored to the mountain, with staggered, Escher-like levels of exterior and interior stairs that connect the spaces, artfully revealing the house as they ascend and descend.

Incorporating the home's steep rugged terrain, Siza embraced the challenging characteristics of the site, crafting a cascading effect of space, light, and interconnectedness. Facing south in an unlikely spot among the steep, rugged terrain in Cerva, Siza placed the home at the center of the lot in a linear position to maintain a strong presence and preserve the continuity and pre-existing natural terrain.

The fragmentation of spaces was necessary to transform it into a composition of modest, interconnected spaces that make sense of the whole. Its continuum filters through the forest into living spaces that naturally rise and fall into a home where the earth acts as a catalyst, cooling it on three sides from the sun, and playing a starring role in its design.

The main living space is placed at the center, with a fireside lounge, a fully equipped kitchen and dining space and warm wood accents that break up the coolness of the concrete. 

The stairs repeat throughout the interiors connecting the spaces with borderless slats. There are three bedrooms that can sleep up to five guests and a minimalist, neutral selection of furnishings that quietly complement the spaces. The outdoor terraces correspond to the rooflines of the various levels and there are pedestrian paths that link them together. Each room has its own patio space. 

The outdoor terraces adapt to the terrain, with direct links to the gardens, and a plunge pool at the center with fountains that cascade down, naturally unifying the house and its environment.

AROUND

Just 50 minutes inland from Porto, the rural area around the town of Cerva is dotted with charming villages among the green landscapes and rivers. It's an hour from Portugal's third-largest city of Braga, well known for its legendary traditions and festivals including the elaborate Semana Santa. Its elegant historical center is closed to vehicles, offering a great opportunity to wander its maze of narrow lanes and explore the Baroque architecture and plazas lined with great cafes and shops. 

The UNESCO city of Guimarães is under an hour's drive from the property and is similarly beautiful, with a picturesque medieval center and the thousand-year-old castle and the massive 15th-century palace perched opposite the town. Once the capital of Portugal, it was named the European Capital of Culture in 2012. Just over an hour north is the stunning Peneda-Geres National Park and World Heritage Biosphere. A vast expanse of wilderness, its Portugal’s only national park with multiple entrance points leading up to the Spanish border. Closer to the house is the Alvao National Park with beautiful forested land and trekking routes.

LOCATION

Cerva, Portugal. Nearest airport: Francisco Sá Carneiro Porto (100km)

BEST TIME TO VISIT: Year-round