Pine Cliffs Terraces
Olhos de Água, Algarve, Portugal
2009–2007
The project is located in Pine Cliffs, The Luxury Collection Resort, in the vicinity of the old fishermen’s village of Olhos de Água, in Albufeira. It comprised the design of 20 three- and four-bedroom townhouses for one of the remaining plots within the resort’s masterplan.
Sheltered by a dense and mature pine forest, the units form a twin L-shaped amphitheatre facing towards the convex hilltop of the surrounding area. Close to the entrance from the main road, which faces North and near to the beach and golf course, the external private spaces of the townhouses were maximized by integrating patios and terraces into the design. Larger living space volumes were also generated by providing open plan kitchen islands and double height living rooms, even though the latter were ultimately discarded in order to cater for an additional bedroom.
This indoor-outdoor relationship was designed to meet the outdoor lifestyle of a resort, with the open plan social areas downstairs, and the bedrooms upstairs. The interior patio, located in the core of the house, maximizes views across the space and allows for natural cross-ventilation. The complex forms a monolithic mass made of whitewashed plastered masonry walls, broken up by a series of walled patios and a polyhedric roof of custom-made white-enamelled flat tiles. In addition, the buildings’ materiality is emphasized by the use of solid timber for the frames and balcony handrails.

Bird's eye view






Study model
Location: Pine Cliffs Resort Algarve The Luxury Collection, Olhos de Água, Algarve, Portugal
Client: United Investments (Portugal)/ IFA Hotels & Resorts
Scope of services: Architecture
Project brief: 20 units of 2- and 3-bedroom townhouses with interior double-height patios
Plot area: 2,556 sq. m
Gross built area: 3,524 sq. m
Construction cost: EUR 8m
Project status: 2007 (concept design) – 2009 (completed)

Ground-level floor plan and South facade
First-level floor plan and section




Townhouses


Night view of the entrances to the townhouses





