The natural landscape of Peneda-Gerês National Park, which lies along the Spanish border in north Portugal is home to the remarkable Casa no Gerês. A family weekend retreat situated at a plot of extraordinary morphological characteristics with the exceptional view on the Cávado River is the first project by architectural duo Graça Correia and Roberto Ragazzi from Correia & Ragazzi Arquitectos.
 
The house was finished in 2006, but it's story begins back in 2003 when clients discovered the 4.060 sq m site by the river. It was just what location from dream would look like: forested, flanked by a stream and with absolutely no buildings nearby. Since the site location was inside of the protected natural area a few conditions had to be followed including maximum size of the concrete construction of just 60 square meters and the preservation of all the trees.

A stunning minimalist box house built with sustainable materials is in touch with nature with one part of the house buried inside the hill while another sticks out over the river. The simplicity of the structure, the openness of the views and the calm balance of the elements make this contemporary hillside shack a bold statement of architecture that has nothing to hide.






Photographs by Nelson Garrido
 

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