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Street view of Agrela House in Paredes, a stepped concrete mass behind a low boundary wall with a car parked in front

Agrela House

A house shaped by books, shifting heights and a monolithic roof that defines space, scale and shelter.

Paredes, Portugal · 2014–2018
EN PT
Typology Residence
Size 365m2
Location Paredes
Status Built
Project ID 14CDA
Agrela House, Paredes: garden elevation across the pool, the heavy concrete roof resting over a glazed ground floor
Agrela House, Paredes: aerial view at sunset of the house and its pool among fields and hills of the surrounding countryside

A house shaped around books

The project began with a clear premise: to create a house where books, a central element in the family’s life, could take on a prominent role. The inspiration came from grand classical libraries, with imposing bookshelves and sliding ladders extending across walls filled with books.

Agrela House, Paredes: double-height library with floor-to-ceiling white shelves and a sliding ladder, a woman reaching for a bookAgrela House, Paredes: living room with a grey sofa and side table in front of the full wall of bookshelvesAgrela House, Paredes: narrow staircase between white walls, a man descending past a tall bookcase lit from above

A double-height space at its core

From this idea emerged a double-height space that became the central element of the project. The house is organised around it, combining the functional role of the space with a strong visual presence.

Agrela House, Paredes: study corner with a desk and red chair, a woman working beside the living room

Different heights for different spaces

As the idea evolved, volumetric experimentation led to the functional differentiation of the spaces through variations in height. Different ceiling heights establish a hierarchy between the different moments and functions of the house.

Roof terrace of Agrela House in Paredes with a small raised volume and trees at golden hourAgrela House, Paredes: elevated view of the house at sunrise, its varying roof heights set against the rural landscape

The roof as a fifth elevation

The roof takes on the role of a fifth elevation, becoming fundamental to the formation of the other four. Its changing heights respond to the main functions of the house, shaping the different spatial conditions found within.

Agrela House, Paredes: board-marked concrete volume cantilevering above floor-to-ceiling glazing, framed by autumn leaves

A heavy mass made to levitate

The resulting roof is dense, heavy and monolithic. This perception is deliberately subverted by making the mass appear to levitate above lighter elements of wood and glass, confronting the user with their own scale and recalling the ancestral importance of the house as shelter.

Agrela House, Paredes: terrace at dusk running along the glazed living spaces beneath the long concrete roofAgrela House, Paredes: top-down aerial plan of the house, the fragmented roof planes, garden and rectangular pool

Capturing the passage of time

Time becomes an active element in the composition. The varied textures of the concrete register its passage through changing shadows throughout the day, while both concrete and wood are intended to weather naturally and gradually become part of the rural surroundings.

spaceworkers

A monolithic mass that appears to levitate, reminding the user of their scale and the ancestral idea of the house as shelter...

Shelter shaped by time

Agrela House, Paredes: overhead view of the pool cut into light paving, a figure and its shadow on the deck beside it
Agrela House in Paredes under a deep blue sky, the concrete roof stepping up above the pool and glazing
Agrela House, Paredes: distant view of the low house set into its plot, with the pool, lawn and trees around it
Agrela House, Paredes: detail of the textured concrete roof above a dark timber-clad wall and a planted garden
Agrela House, Paredes: kitchen and dining area with a long white counter, a wooden table and red chairs under a skylight
Agrela House, Paredes: enclosed patio framed by concrete walls, opening through glazing to the kitchen and dining room
Agrela House, Paredes: upper terrace between two concrete walls, glazed doors leading to a lounge inside
Agrela House, Paredes: view through white walls towards the dining area with red chairs and the garden beyond
Agrela House, Paredes: library at the heart of the house, warm light on the tall bookshelves above the living room
Agrela House, Paredes: evening view along the illuminated bookcase, the sofa and glazing looking out to the garden
Agrela House, Paredes: night view of the lit house reflected in the pool, the concrete mass glowing above the glass
The street side of Agrela House in Paredes at dusk, its monolithic roof outlined against a blue sky

Full Credits

Client

  • Private

Principal Architects

  • Henrique Marques
  • Rui Dinis

Architects

  • Marco Santos
  • Marta Silva
  • Mónica Pacheco
  • Tiago Maciel

Finance Director

  • Carla Duarte

Furniture Design

  • Bairro Design

Engineering

  • Simetria Vertical

Photography

  • FG+SG®

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