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SV House in Sobrado, a concrete block with small scattered openings beside traditional pitched-roof houses

SV House

A block of concrete that stands apart from its surroundings and, at the same time, falls silent toward the street.

Sobrado, Portugal · 2015–2022
EN PT
Typology Residence
Size 378m2
Location Sobrado
Status Built
Project ID 15CSV
SV House, Sobrado, Valongo: concrete cube of the house rising above a retaining wall, with village rooftops and hills behind

Built on inherited memory

The house sits in a rural context, surrounded by the typical traditional houses — pitched roofs, small windows, an anonymous architecture. The plot is the very one where the grandparents of the current owner once lived: small in scale, but huge in stories and memories for the whole family.

SV House, Sobrado, Valongo: low-angle view of the concrete corner, its openings of different sizes set against a deep blue skySV House, Sobrado, Valongo: lit windows of varied sizes glowing in the concrete facade at dusk, above the garage entrance

Something disruptive, silent to the street

From the outset we wanted something disruptive in this chaotic setting — something that would clearly stand apart from its surroundings and, at the same time, stay silent toward the street. The house materialises as a block of concrete that offers privacy to those who live in it and gives them a new way of seeing what surrounds them.

SV House, Sobrado, Valongo: large window and small square openings cut into the concrete wall, with a utility pole beyondSV House, Sobrado, Valongo: concrete facade catching the low sun, with a deep window and smaller openings belowSV House, Sobrado, Valongo: recessed opening carved into the corner of the concrete block, its soffit lit by the sun

Openings that compose the façade

The openings go beyond the mere need for ventilation and natural light. Outside, they are an important element in the composition of the elevations and in the sense of occupation they let show through — without, however, laying bare the privacy of those who use it.

SV House, Sobrado, Valongo: living room with a wooden armchair opening onto a covered terrace that frames the distant hills

Pieces of distant landscape

Inside, each opening focuses on framing pieces of distant landscape — or even the sky — turning away from the close surroundings, punctuated by houses.

SV House, Sobrado, Valongo: window in the concrete wall of a covered terrace, next to a dining area with light wood floorSV House, Sobrado, Valongo: bedroom with a large square window framing trees and distant hills

Each space, a critical view

Each space holds a critical view over a particular point in the landscape. The position and size of every window give those who live here ever-different views over the same territory.

SV House, Sobrado, Valongo: living room seen from the terrace through a sliding glass door, with a figure crossing itSV House, Sobrado, Valongo: armchair and sofa in a white living space, a glazed opening leading to the concrete terraceSV House, Sobrado, Valongo: double-height living room with a sofa, low wooden table and tall window above

Solidity without, lightness within

Outside, the exposed concrete emphasises the idea of solidity; inside, the light wood and white walls express lightness. It is in this dichotomy that the house relates to its neighbours and to those who inhabit and move through its spaces.

SV House in Sobrado, Valongo at dusk from the garden, lit square openings scattered across the concrete facadeSV House, Sobrado, Valongo: glazed ground floor dining area lit at night, set into the concrete wall, with people inside

Between weight and lightness

Between weight and lightness, the house finds its balance. A block that breaks the noise around it and keeps, within, the memory of a whole family.

A block of concrete, and the views it keeps.

Concrete block of SV House in Sobrado, Valongo behind a slatted fence, with a red door and a tree beside it
SV House, Sobrado, Valongo: corridor with a sofa and light wood floor leading to a window at the end
SV House, Sobrado, Valongo: sitting area with a wooden armchair beneath a concrete-framed ceiling opening to the terrace
SV House, Sobrado, Valongo: dining table under a circular pendant light, with a man standing at the glazed terrace door
SV House, Sobrado, Valongo: kitchen and dining corner with high stools beside a large window over the landscape
SV House, Sobrado, Valongo: narrow staircase with light wood steps between white walls, bookshelves glimpsed at the top
SV House, Sobrado, Valongo: library corridor lined with white bookshelves and a figure walking through
SV House, Sobrado, Valongo: living room with a white sofa and low wooden bench, lit by a ceiling opening above
SV House, Sobrado, Valongo: long living space with a sofa and slatted wooden bench, a glazed door at the far end
SV House, Sobrado, Valongo: lit window recess in the concrete wall at dusk, a car parked in a red-lit garage below
SV House, Sobrado, Valongo: garage opening in the concrete base glowing at night, with a car inside and a window above
SV House, Sobrado, Valongo: dusk view of the concrete block from the garden, its small windows and glazed ground floor lit
SV House, Sobrado, Valongo: street facade of the house with a red-lined entrance and a few small openings above the fence

Full Credits

Principal Architects

  • Henrique Marques
  • Rui Dinis

Architects

  • João Ortigão
  • Marco Santos
  • Tiago Maciel

Finance Director

  • Carla Duarte

Interior Design

  • Olive Grey

Photography

  • FG+SG®

Recognition

Awards

  • Archilovers Best Projects 2024

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