With privileged views over the ria shore in Aveiro, West Portugal, this modern coastal house is designed to accommodate a multigenerational family. Children, parents and grandparents can come together in the connected, social living spaces, whilst also being able to find peaceful seclusion in more private rooms. Created by architectural firm Atelier Lopes da Costa, the house structure is sharp and compact with a pitched roof. Contemporary wood cladding and contrasting white render break up the solid facade to create a more dynamic finish. Protruding balconies on the first floor are light in impact, with clear glass balustrades affixed so that the owners can soak in the tranquil panorama.
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Photographer: João Margalha
The modern exterior is sliced open with vast windows, which stretch from floor to ceiling on the lower two levels of the coastal house. A huge L-shaped patio wraps around the property, allowing plenty of space on which to place an al fresco dining area and an outdoor living room. Two outdoor outdoor chaise lounge chairs are arranged on a small sundeck by the edge of the pool for complete relaxation.
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The house opens up towards the south and the east to benefit from the sweeping coastal view and prime sun exposure. Oblique balconies push out toward the panorama, where they develop close relationship with the lower patio and the overflow pool. The fenestration on the remaining two sides of the building is reduced largely to slimline landscape frames that give the house a look of fortress-like security.
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Concrete slabs and protruding balconies provide shade to the interiors below to cool them. A cutaway in the pitched roof design reveals the presence of a third usable floor, which is dedicated to the two youngest kids in the family.
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Endless blue sky and glistening waters stretch away from the house and its wide-open pool patio. An understated garden introduces a little greenery around the side of the house, but the outer perimeter of the patio remains entirely unobscured.
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Exterior lights keep quality family time, fun and conversation going long into the night.
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Retractable glass doors open up the family living room to connect it with the patio, outdoor dining table, and pool.
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A second set of glass doors open the side of the kitchen, making an easy pathway to serve food to the outdoor eating area. Beside the patio dining set, glass balustrades box in a light well for the large parking garage down in the basement.
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Bedroom balconies are each furnished with a set of two outdoor chairs and matching outdoor coffee tables. The small sitting spots offer the opportunity to get away from the larger family unit and enjoy a moment as just a couple or in quiet solitude.
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Set back from the pool, an outdoor sofa and coordinating lounge chairs make up a conversational sitting area where all family members can come together to enjoy one another’s company.
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All of the social spaces gather on the ground floor of the family home. In the main living area, contemporary grey sofas are brightened with bright sunshine yellow scatter cushions. A set of nesting wooden coffee tables make a simple focal point in the centre of the tiled living room floor. A concrete TV wall adds an industrial essence to the minimalist decor scheme, and coolly frames a modern fireplace and media niche.
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The small sofa backs onto a multipurpose area with a small games table and toy storage for the kids. Orange scatter cushions provide a fun accent colour that differentiates the play space from the adjacent lounge. Sunlight spills in from the glass doors along the south patio that overlooks the swimming pool.
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Made to measure shelves hold a small library of books next to a two-seater sofa in the recreational zone, fashioning a comfortable reading nook.
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At the other side of the ground floor layout, the lounge is connected to a large family dining area that’s furnished with stylish grey chairs and a modern wooden dining table.
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The dining room is linked to the kitchen via a wide double doorway with wooden pocket doors.
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Glossy white kitchen cabinets reflect natural light from the large windows. A wide kitchen island stands at the centre of the room, where it accommodates the hob and a wine cooler.
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Upstairs, there are two south-facing suites and a third suite that faces to the east. The bedrooms were arranged for the best relationship with the sun and outstanding views.
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On the attic floor, the youngest members of the family take claim of their own bedrooms and a shared bathroom.
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As is standard in Portugal, a separate bidet accompanies the toilet in each of the bathrooms. In this design, a gloss white double vanity unit cleanly complements the modern wall-mounted sanitaryware. A frameless bathroom mirror slides neatly into the recess behind.
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The same double sink bathroom vanity unit is included in another spacious bathroom design, this time against a backdrop of blue glazed tiles.
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A wide balcony overlooks the stirring landscape provided by the ria.
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Access to the property is made from the west.
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The house is almost closed to the north.
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In comparison, fenestration is abundant on the sun-kissed and view-blessed south and east sides.
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Site plan at Praia da Barra.
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Basement floor with large parking garage.
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Ground floor plan with social living spaces, patio and pool.
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First floor with master bedroom and two more double bedroom suites.
