House in Gerês by Correia Ragazzi Architects
Architects Graça Correia and Roberto Ragazzi designed this concrete house in Portugal.
From the architects:
As a half-buried house in its relation to the main access it appears diminished; on the other hand, from the river, it appears as a glass frame dissimulated on the vegetation. This weightless intervention is enhanced by the overhanging part that shoots off the riverbank cliff maximizing its transparent appearance from the river reducing land occupancy and preserving all trees.
Visit the website of Correia Ragazzi Architects – here.
Visit the website of Correia Ragazzi Architects – here.
Stephen on 09 Feb 2009 at 12:47 am #
Love it, absolutely love it!
Victor on 09 Feb 2009 at 3:26 am #
I wish we had standard housing like this!! I would work for the concrete company if that was the case and build houses like this for everyone.
Victor on 09 Feb 2009 at 3:27 am #
its not just style its practical and durable
jasonpr on 09 Feb 2009 at 3:28 am #
Great design but it kind of looks like a trailer for the last angle.
Javed Ansari on 09 Feb 2009 at 3:37 am #
This called out-of-the-box – literally!
jow on 09 Feb 2009 at 3:40 am #
nice, but all glass windows without curtain?
throw a stone
cado on 09 Feb 2009 at 4:17 am #
very pretty, a great match with local
oma on 09 Feb 2009 at 6:56 am #
i really like it! so close to nature literally. don’t think it would work any place else.
Healy on 09 Feb 2009 at 7:34 am #
The plate glass windows look great and the wood-lined interior has a nice warming effect. I’d like to see an interior photo of the overhang space (kitchen/dining/bedroom?)
The void of detail on the exterior and lack of landscaping are big aesthetic detractors. Even native species plantings or hardscaping around the structure and beneath the riverside overhang would give this project a sense of completion.
hz on 09 Feb 2009 at 7:34 am #
too many rectangles
Jason on 09 Feb 2009 at 7:59 am #
Interesting that they would go to the time, effort and expense of building a house with a canilever like this, yet there is no way to appreciate it when inside the house – no glass floor, no windows on the side, etc.
Connie on 09 Feb 2009 at 8:12 am #
Agree with Healy. Very nice and warm inside with all the wood and very odd and bare outside. It needs at least some ground cover on that slope. I’d also like to see some climbers on the concrete.
Could I imagine to live in that house? Probably not. I’d have nightmares of “tilting”. Spooky!
John on 09 Feb 2009 at 8:30 am #
The owners probably didn’t want a super manicured landscape, this is in the forest, not Beverly Hills. They probably wanted to leave nature to be nature, because some crazy people actually think nature is beautiful just as it is. Also, they were probably trying to leave as little footprint as possible, which is probably why they built a cantilevered house, instead of tearing up the hillside.
The slope will get its ground cover when nature makes it happen.
Also, it’s obvious that these photos were taken in autumn, probably around October. Plants and foliage die in autumn, leaves fall off trees in autumn, things get grey and brown in autumn. Which is probably why it looks a little bare. So adjust your expectations accordingly.
Lance on 09 Feb 2009 at 8:40 am #
One word… AAAAAAIIIIIIEEEEEEE!
That being said, I agree with everyone, this is an amazing house. The shot from the dining room looking at the trees is incredible, a veritable living wall of art. Now I want a cantilevered house.
Eduardo Henrique on 09 Feb 2009 at 8:57 am #
This house is in Portugal, near Braga in a village in the National Park o Penêda Gerês, one of the most splendid parks in Europe.
Here Neivors are not problem! Nature its what you can expect from this place.
Beleave me! It´s much better than Beverly Hills!
Wincey on 09 Feb 2009 at 9:39 am #
I think it’s beautiful; I’d love to see a shot from the far end of the building. I also expect that, come springtime, nature will begin to spread itself out and around the structure. Native spreading plants (like ivies) would possibly be a good supplement if the owners wanted to add anything. My only concern would be erosion!
Mycroft on 09 Feb 2009 at 11:41 am #
The naked concrete makes this thing look loike a pill box. I completely understand the functionality of the material, the aestetics, are seriously lacking.
alexandre on 09 Feb 2009 at 12:17 pm #
wow, that’s edgy!
alexandre on 09 Feb 2009 at 12:19 pm #
but i think the room should be at the edge
Awesome on 09 Feb 2009 at 1:50 pm #
The 8th shot is indeed a shot of the interior of the overhang section of the “house.”
Not my style, I would never live in a house like that.
Interesting though. You can see how the weight of the overhang is supported by the odd angles underneath it.
I bet it’s counter-balanced at the groundside end of the house.
ButtNaked on 09 Feb 2009 at 4:49 pm #
Whenever I see such a home, I find myself wondering – don’t these people ever walk around naked? Hello, curtains?
I think most people would feel very exposed living in such a home. Glass and views are nice, but that works two ways … and concrete is hard and cold.
I wouldn’t want to live in such a home.
purvirgo on 09 Feb 2009 at 8:05 pm #
simply. beautiful. Howard Roark would be pleased.
Evan on 10 Feb 2009 at 2:06 pm #
The entrance is a little too sparse. Try walking up that thing carrying an arm full of groceries…
Marija08 on 11 Feb 2009 at 9:05 am #
excentric! love the views
richard on 11 Feb 2009 at 7:31 pm #
This is a great structure. It doesn’t have pretense, it’s no more than to serve its purpose.
Joe on 13 Feb 2009 at 3:28 pm #
An incredible concept! A rectangular concrete box with glazed sides, cantilevered over a hillside, dissimulated on the vegetation. And with furniture! The post apocalyptic symbolism is breathtaking.
Michael Nash on 14 Feb 2009 at 1:46 pm #
The only thing missing is a window in the floor of that last room! That extreme overhang is a rare opportunity for a “glass-bottom house.”
Fredrik on 17 Apr 2009 at 8:20 am #
Im just curious. Anyone knows if a house like this would be more expensive than a reglar wooden house? I’m really interrested in building a house like this. Maybe a bit smaller.
Would the concrete structure cost like $10.000 or $100.000.
If anyone have a clue, please response
Johnny on 29 Apr 2009 at 10:48 pm #
“The only thing missing is a window in the floor of that last room! That extreme overhang is a rare opportunity for a “glass-bottom house.””
You know that there’s a lot of iron down there don’t you? Doesn’t seem viable to have a glass floor. Not even glass walls.
Johnny on 29 Apr 2009 at 10:51 pm #
“Would the concrete structure cost like $10.000 or $100.000″
Closer to $100.000, no doubt about that.