The Perfect Combination
Valhauss
Customer
Location
Category
Visuals
Furniture
Private
Porto, Portugal
Residential
Utopic
Sancal, Santa&Cole & Masiero
Valhauss:
Project information
A home can be understood as an intermediary between the exterior and the interior, a protective envelope that houses a living space and regulates the relationship between its inhabitants and the environment. When designed from a site-specific approach, architecture consciously opens and closes to construct the desired living experience.
– Porto, Portugal.
The Shrine
Designing a shelter that harmonizes with nature and promotes well-being
The design of a space based on the concept of Sanctuary seeks to create a place of retreat where calm and introspection take center stage. A space that inspires serenity and reconnection, far from the noise and distractions of everyday life. Every detail of its architecture and layout is geared toward creating an atmosphere of tranquility and protection, ideal for meditation, rest, and personal care.
The structure is designed to establish an intimate relationship with nature. Large windows allow natural light to flood the interiors, integrating the exterior as an essential part of the experience. The selected materials—stone, wood, and natural finishes—reinforce the harmony with the environment. Beyond their sustainable nature, these elements bring warmth and serenity to each space.
In response to the search for a haven of well-being, Valhauss is designed as an isolation mechanism: it deliberately ignores its immediate surroundings and opens up to views of the mountains and a contemplative green courtyard. This courtyard connects transversally in a single open space, a radical way of understanding the home as a place of constant connection between those who live there.
The architecture blends subtly into the surroundings, taking advantage of the natural slope of the land so that the building merges with the landscape without altering the existing topography. The flat roof, designed as a protective envelope, complies with strict height requirements and reinforces the continuity between interior and exterior, intensifying the feeling of seclusion.
The uniqueness and cultural value of the environment are fundamental in defining the architectural vision of the project. Building here means respecting the land, honoring the place, and establishing a mimetic dialogue with its landscape.
The house emerges discreetly from the forest, with a low profile that adapts to the natural slope. Flashes of light guide the way to the entrance.
The main entrance is defined by a minimal yet powerful gesture: a restrained threshold that marks the transition between the natural environment and the carefully orchestrated interior sanctuary.
The combination of rough stone and warm wood invites you in, while the roofline reinforces the idea of protection and shelter.
From the inside, the space reveals its essence: a large open sanctuary organized around a core of porous rock, where nature and architecture dissolve into a single experience.
In front of this monumental façade, a sheet of water stretches toward the horizon, amplifying the contemplative atmosphere of the home. Large oak trees frame the space, reinforcing the relationship between architecture and landscape.
On the right, the high-level gym pavilion stands out as a luminous element, with a glass façade outlined by a continuous line of LED lighting that accentuates its sober and powerful geometry.
La necesidad de un
espacio que nutre el
alma y reconecta
con la naturaleza
The necessity of a
space that nurtures
the soul and reconnects
with nature