Cabanas in Comporta
“I want this place to be my retreat, give me a bed and a bathtub and I’m happy”. That was our client’s brief for our latest project, Cabanas in Comporta, a small private residential project. The end result are four black cabanas that sit comfortably amidst the wild pine trees, inviting you to breathe, relax, and soak in the natural beauty around.
As local connoisseurs, we sought inspiration from the construction of the traditional fishermen huts/cabanas which are very functional and quick to build, which was one of the clients premises. As a sustainable architectural studio, we not only considered both solar orientation and direction of wind flow in determining the placement of the cabanas, but also implemented several other strategies in order for this project to co-exist naturally with the surroundings. Such is the case for opting for a charred douglas wood façade finish, also known as, shou sugi ban, given the process involves no toxins or chemicals, maintenance-free, and ages flawlessly.
We are humbled to have the such reputable press feature our project. Click on each to see what they said about us. Wallpaper ArchDaily Ignant Inhabitat Gessato Urbanica
Once the summer temperatures arrive, the mosquitoes aren’t far behind, so designing a solution to beat the heat and these tiny little creatures which are well known in the area were a must. To stop mosquitoes wandering in and out of the cabanas whilst still receiving the external breeze, we integrated an independent thick net-like translucent blind placed in front of every sliding glass panel. This gave the owner varying layers of protection and privacy while still allowing for a cool breeze. To reduce the heat sensation, we extended the roof to create an additional shading area and hung a solar shading system connecting both cabanas in the same net-like fabric as the blinds. We opted for a dark cement flooring in order to take advantage of its thermal mass properties, as well as placed photo-voltaic panels and heat pumps to be used as an alternative energy source to heat or cool the cabanas. We collaborated with Mima Housing, a pre-fabricated expert architectural studio, who helped us with the execution of the project.
Images taken by Nelson Garrido.