Moradia Pragança
Year
Local
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Project for a residential garden located in Pragança, Serra de Montejunto, Cadaval. The intervention area is located on a mid-slope, facing north, with the village in front and the mountain forests in the background. Due to this position, it has a wide visual range and greater water availability. On the other hand, it is exposed to cold northerly winds and has less sun exposure.
Considering the house’s positioning, the garden can be divided into two large areas: the front facing north towards the landscape and the more intimate rear area. The front area can also be subdivided into the east area, which is the property entrance, and the west area, which provides access to the vegetable garden.
The proposed paths and areas arise from this overall understanding of the space, associated with its natural character and the principles of Feng Shui philosophy.
Although there are different areas and spatialities, the design and materials chosen interconnect them, creating unity. To create some dynamism and help define different areas with different functions, different levels are created, accessible by steps made of stone blocks.
As for the flooring, a more formal material is used near the house (slab) and with less impact in areas of less use (gravel).
The vegetation is adapted to the edaphoclimatic conditions, with many of the species being native. Most of the trees are fruit trees. The vegetation is distributed throughout the space according to its function, serving as a frame or visual focal point, ensuring that the fruit trees are exposed to the sun. Shrubs and herbaceous plants consolidate the space, mainly at the front, serving to create visual and physical barriers, framing, creating spatiality, adding color and variation to the space, making it more welcoming and dynamic. To the south, vegetation is found mainly on the retaining walls in order to lessen their impact and create a setting where green and stone combine.
An interesting detail: clay pots appear in different spaces to highlight the Mediterranean style.