Tsou Arquitectos embeds Casa da Levada into the sloping hills of Portugal’s Rua do Gondeiro village, in Penafiel. The shape of the house, topped with a green roof, is molded by the terrain from where it seamlessly integrates, creating a visual and physical continuity between architecture and nature.
Integrating the house into its landscape results in a more sustainable approach to enhancing energy efficiency. It also improves the house’s structural integrity while preserving the natural landscape. For instance, the house used cork panels for the exterior cladding. It also has a green roof, which helps reduce interior heat in the summer months, and repurposed granite stones from the ruins to create the stone patio.
The pathway to Casa da Levada is a paved grove over the grassy landscape. It leads to a house deliberately divided into functional spaces via a tectonic fault. This makes it easy to distinguish between public and private spaces.
This single-family home is organized around a central courtyard, which serves as the focal point. This arrangement creates a welcoming outdoor space for social gatherings that offers framed views of the surrounding landscape.
Meanwhile, for climate control, Casa da Levada carefully placed the glazing with exterior mechanical protection through solar shades or blinds. It also uses a water-radiant floor system via a heat pump to efficiently cool and heat the interior.
Moreover, its ceramic flooring helps speed up the contribution of radiation transfer. Likewise, it has a Controlled Mechanical Ventilation (CMV) system with a heat exchanger to ensure air renewal sans significant interior temperature loss. Casa da Levada boasts a unique structure that discreetly hides from sight.
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Images courtesy of Ivo Tavares Studio
