Etosoto Shelter: Sustainable Houses on Edge of Portuguese Coast

Two detached and sustainable houses on the preserved Portuguese coast in the Cabo Espichel area blend beautifully with the surrounding vegetation. Giving a second life to the materials was the main goal of this project, using the most natural elements possible in order to preserve a certain “indigenous architecture”. „The cladding is made with pine treated with sugarcane compost, called Kebony.“ Kebony from which houses are made is not only a handsome material, but also fantastic for outdoor use with a unique design and requires almost no maintenance. If you thought that some landscaping was done here, almost none, because the architects wanted to keep the project in the existing natural context. „The houses are 100% energetically autonomous, thanks to the installation of solar panels.“ „Heating and cooling are made possible thanks to a heat exchanger.“ Thanks to their simple shapes, extremely minimalist houses use the impact of the sun’s rays, and in any period it is possible that you will see the difference of architecture here. „The wooden interior is very uncluttered thanks to the varied shapes and heights of windows, offering openings on the varied and predominant landscapes that are the dominant force in these habitats.“ From the houses feel a calm and homely atmosphere where the motto is that less is sometimes more.