Internationally acclaimed duo Aires Mateus Arquitetos aren?t strangers to reduction and white colour as a feature in itself. The House in Litoral Alentejano continues their streak as master manipulators of modern angles and unusual volume compositions. As two simple cubes emerge from the ground up, a true visual disruption of the natural landscape unveils before our eyes with eye-catching results.
The architects unashamedly play with the closed box format. For the main residence, they explore a straightforward approach towards privacy, with no windows in sight and the dynamics in between rooms entirely inside the cube. An alluring detail is the access for each, a tiny step for each room, the only accessory in sight. Monochrome reigns supreme, except for the beautiful wooden gates to the outside. The second volume encases a striking pool; the adoption of white in this case is fitting as it builds upon the idea of an outlandish element with strong conviction. There is no intention to blend in or complement the scenery.
A clear example of timeless minimalism, as there are no trends to chase and a fearless use of geometry as main visual allegory. Unexpectedly, the sum of such simple elements result in an almost theatrical mise-en-scène between volumes. Outstanding.
Photography by Daniel Malhão.

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