CabanasNoRio | Aires Mateus & Associados

«CabanasNoRio» is 1 hour south from Lisbon in the village of Comporta -­‐ Portugal. This region is cherished by the natural reserve of river Sado. It is a true natural paradise that has to offer its visitors beautiful white sandy beaches, the green immensity of the rice fields, the typical fishermen's houses, the unique food and wine and the privileged contact with a diversity of animals that choose to live here. The 2 cabins with its pitched roofs stand on the banks of the river, besides a small jetty on stilts. From here, you can see the Palafitte harbour of Carrasqueira, a masterpiece of folk architecture, unique in Europe -­‐ a harbour on stilts. This seemingly fragile structure was an ingenious solution that the local fishing community found to access their boats during low tied, since the banks of the river get very muddy. This project, by the architect Manuel Aires Mateus, is based in the «use/reuse and recycle» and from two old huts, once used by local fishermen’s, emerged a romantic refuge, surrounded by nature, offering visitors a genuine reality of Comporta. The two small huts, with 14 square meters each, were both built off-­‐site and transported to Comporta. "The wharf is medieval and assembled with wood," said the architects, explaining their material choice. "Its identity is kept long beyond the material's resistance, an identity that allows it to change, to replace, keeping all the values.” The construction is entirely finished in “costaneiros” wood, a first and last boards sawn from a log. The structures are then submitted to the climate vulnerability, assigning them a unique personality. The project features two spaces: in the 1st one is the bedroom with en-­‐suite bathroom and shower. This shower has the particularity of being able to be used both outdoors and indoors. In the 2nd cabin is the living room that has a small kitchen equipped to prepare simple meals.