Monumental Minimalist Design is a Contemporary Masterpiece in the Portuguese Riviera The Portuguese Riviera has no shortage of enchanting palaces. But now, the region has a new design masterpiece to celebrate. Arq Tailor’s’ Sea Front Villa bellows architectural prestige. Its minimal white outer shell provides well-needed shade from the unrelenting Portuguese sun and offers a view of the seeming infinitude of the Atlantic Ocean. Project: Sea Front Villa Design: Arq Tailor Area: 3,050m2 Size: 1,068m2 Photos: © Ricardo Oliveira Alves The bespoke interior strikes a balance between luxury and modernism. Luxury light installations dangle over light-toned wood flooring, selected for sustainability. In our chat with the lead architect, Ana Castro Alegre, we discussed the principal objects behind the design. THE PLUS: What were your first thoughts when you saw the site? Ana Castro Alegre: What an amazing view – what an amazing location – I need to increase the value of all of this with this new project! TP: From a design perspective, what’s the most exciting achievement for you regarding Sea Front Villa? ACA: My principal objective was to bring the sea in to the villa, in almost all the divisions we can observe the sea view. It turned out amazing! TP: With twelve rooms, it’s a very big property. Did the size impose any difficulties or limitations on the design process? ACA: No, because the area available for the project was a lot. It was fun to design. TP: How often did you visit the property during construction? ACA: Every week. But in the end of the construction I visited more than one time a week. TP: With its fixtures and light installations, the interior has a very luxurious feeling. Why did you design it to be this way? ACA: The house has a lot of natural light and it was very difficult to control it. It was a challenge to control it. Because the house has glass all around and huge white walls, I felt the need to do it that way to bring comfort and it was very successful. TP: You selected neutral colours and a light-toned wood for the interior. What was your approach to the colour scheme and why? ACA: White is my favourite colour but any way the modern architecture and all the environment calls for this colour. TP: What’s your favourite part of the design project? ACA: My favourite probably was the interior garden not only because it is open but also because it lets the natural light get through all the corridors of the house.
