Lavra House | Vítor Leal Barros

Rural seaside recovery.

​The Lavra’s House is a building from the beginning of the 20th century, with typical characteristics from rural coastal areas of northern Portugal, with double agricultural and residential functions in the past. The house has lost its character over the years by a series of interventions, all with the sole purpose of adapting it to the residential function.

The program completely reshapes the house’s interior, transforming it into a villa with 4 independent suites, while maintaining the original rural style from the outside. Redefinition, criteria and debugging are the project key words. The existing expression remains, completing the programmatic needs with contemporary options. The top floor divisions were changed, keeping, however, the existing structure of masonry and wood. The ground floor design was functionally clarified, resulting into a generous open space with a spontaneous interaction between the social functions and its relationship with the large backyard.