Huts by the River, Comporta
Aires Mateus 

Huts by the River, Comporta

Aires Mateus 


An old timber wharf stands the test of time in the Sado estuary nature reserve in Comporta, one hour south of Lisbon. Its identity remains beyond the material resistance of its construction. The project stems from the silent respect for this solid essence that allows to change or replace the wood pieces to rebuild two cabins without losing the primary values. The archetypal forms of the cabins, with hip roofs, evoke a primitive imaginary filled with simplicity and purity.

The project develops into two autonomous spaces: one to unwind with the support of a kitchen integrated in the same material of the walls; and the other as a sleeping area with a small bathroom and a shower, accessible from the inside and from the outside. The slope of the walls and ceilings adapts subtly to these functions, and generates different situations in each corner because neither of them follows a straight angle. This ambiguity of the details is transferred to a superior scale; because the two structures appear to be the same, but they aren’t. Built entirely in recycled wood and exposed to the weather that will continue their change, the cabins merge and evolve with the laconic atmosphere, adapting to the seasons... [+] 


Obra Work

Cabañas en el río Huts by the River

Cliente Client

Silent Living

Arquitectos Architects

Aires Mateus / Francisco y Manuel Aires Mateus (socios partners); Maria Rebelo Pinto (jefa de proyecto project leader); Luz Jiménez, David Carceller (equipo team)

Contratista Contractor

Cenário Perfeito

Superficie construida Built-up area

26 m²

Fotos Photos

Nelson Garrido