contaminar arquitetos traces distorted concrete lines around 'quinta do rei 18' in portugal

quinta do rei 18 residence by contaminar arquitetos

Sited amid an elevated landscape with a steep slope in Leiria, Portugal, the Quinta do Rei 18 residence by local studio Contaminar Arquitetos emerges as a monolithic volume with an eye-catching concrete skin. The studio completed the project for a young couple by navigating through several site constraints — including a tight construction area of 120 sqm at ground level and limitations on the ridge level. ‘The clients had an urban mindset, where having direct contact with the ground was not a prerequisite. The fact that the plot was on an elevated zone turned the house into a tower, providing a viewpoint over the city and the landscape,’ writes Contaminar.

Beyond working with the limited and obligatory construction area, the studio also had to consider an existing eucalyptus tree. Therefore, through rotation around an axis, the typical parallelepiped shape is gradually distorted into a new form with balcony areas, shading, and circulation pathways. The Quinta do Rei 18 house is captured in an extensive photographic series by Fernando Guerra, which you can explore below.

all images © Fernando Guerra | FG + SG

a stack of concrete ‘rings’ offering privacy & sun protection

Once the warped outline was established, Contaminar Arquitetos (see more here) began tracing hortizontal concrete rings around the building skin, creating a rhythmic alternation of solid and void. These rings gradually distort and shrink upward before reaching a summit that frames scenic views of the semi-rural context ahead. In total, 18 rings, each with its form, shape Quinta do Rei 18 from its base to its top. ‘[A] cross-section of 35 cm resulted from the stair heights. Two heights equated to 35 cm, and 14 heights matched the floor-to-ceiling height of the living space, with the slab thickness and technical zones also being 35 cm,’ explains the team.

Beyond boasting a sculptural aesthetic, concrete proved to be a material that best met the studio’s and client’s functional and structural requirements. These stacked concrete lines create a shutter-like or filtering effect, protecting residents of Quinta do Rei 18 from excessive sunlight or public exposure while still opening up clean horizontal views of Leiria at every level. With that said, the striated balconies offer a sense of progression the higher up one goes, with different plays of shadows, different layouts, and different perspectives opening up thanks to the gradual ‘distortion’ of lines wrapping around the structure, as documented by Fernando Guerra (more here).

Quinta do Rei 18 residence by Contaminar Arquitetos

a straightforward spatial layout

Inside, Quinta do Rei 18 is organized with half-floors to connect several spaces while keeping others more separate and autonomous. Overall, the spatial division is quite straightforward: the basement houses the garage, technical areas, laundry room, and a multipurpose room with a wine cellar. On the ground floor, bedroom levels are occupied by two suites and two additional bedrooms served by one bathroom. The first floor accommodates the social area, including the living and dining room, kitchen, and a bathroom. Lastly, on the second floor, a leisure area with an outdoor pool, a gym, and a small reading space, takes shape. ‘The house is also a product of its pathways. The existence of an external path (staircase) connecting the ground to the sky runs along the outer skin,’ concludes Contaminar Arquitetos.

creating a stack of 18 concrete rings