Casa Moita Santa, located in Santiago da Guarda, Leiria, presents an architectural response deeply rooted in its natural surroundings. Located among oak trees and interspersed with clusters of stones, the design of the house is shaped by the inherent characteristics of the landscape. This tranquil setting offered both an opportunity and a challenge: to create a private residence while maintaining a harmonious relationship with the site. Bruno Dias Arquitectura embraced this by crafting a home that shields itself from the public road while remaining open to the natural beauty within the property.
Casa Moita Santa Technical Information
- Architects: Bruno Dias Arquitectura
- Location: Rua Senhora da Saúde, Moita Santa – Ansião, Santiago da Guarda, Leiria, Portugal
- Area: 572.70 m2
- Project Year: 2020 – 2024
- Photographs: © Hugo Santos Silva
Casa Moita Santa opens up with generous openings to the interior of the property, while maintaining essential openings to the southwest.
– Bruno Dias Arquitectura
Casa Moita Santa Photographs
Conceptual Approach and Design Philosophy
The proximity to the road was an essential factor in determining the layout and orientation of the house. The design directs the house inward to address privacy concerns, with large openings oriented toward the property’s interior. These generous windows frame the views of the natural surroundings, creating a seamless connection between the indoors and outdoors. Meanwhile, the southwest-facing openings maintain necessary exposure to sunlight while ensuring a sense of seclusion from passersby.
At the heart of the design is a careful consideration of privacy and the integration of a basement, which the clients requested. Bruno Dias Arquitectura took on the challenge of making the basement both functional and visually discreet. The solution was to “hide” the basement level (-1 floor) from the street, allowing the first floor to appear as if it floats above the ground. This structural feat was achieved using only four main supports, which give the house an almost weightless quality.
The first floor, designed as a singular, unified form, capitalizes on this floating effect. It creates a striking visual impact, suggesting the home is a sculptural object delicately placed within the landscape. Additionally, the use of slightly curved slabs follows the alignment of the public road, further integrating the house into its context while adding a subtle dynamism to the form.
This combination of structural innovation and sensitivity to the environment embodies Bruno Dias Arquitectura’s design philosophy. The house seeks to minimize its footprint and visual impact on the landscape while offering a contemporary living experience that prioritizes both form and function.
Spatial Organization and Program
Casa Moita Santa is divided into two levels, each serving a clear purpose. The upper level is the living core of the home, containing all social and private spaces. This includes the kitchen, pantry, living and dining rooms, bedrooms, bathrooms, an office, and a suite. The layout allows for a natural flow between spaces, with the living areas benefiting from the large northeast-facing openings that flood the rooms with natural light.
The use of interior courtyards is a defining feature of the house. These courtyards provide additional sources of light and views of nature without compromising privacy. They break up the solid mass of the building, creating moments of openness and reflection within the otherwise enclosed form.
The basement level (-1 floor) is entirely functional, housing the technical areas, storage spaces, engine room, plumbing, garage, and laundry. Despite its practical purpose, the basement is integrated seamlessly into the overall design, hidden from view but essential to the house’s functioning. The decision to place these areas underground allowed the architects to maximize the aesthetic and experiential qualities of the upper levels, ensuring that the public-facing parts of the home remain focused on livability and comfort.
The material palette of Casa Moita Santa reinforces its clean, minimalist aesthetic. The exterior and interior are unified using white, emphasizing the house’s simplicity and elegance. This is complemented by the warmth of wood and the occasional stone detail, which connects the house to its natural surroundings and adds texture to the otherwise smooth surfaces.
Casa Moita Santa Impact
Casa Moita Santa successfully balances formal elegance with the practical needs of its occupants. The use of minimal structural elements and the decision to elevate the first floor above the ground create a sense of lightness, which contrasts beautifully with the solidity of the natural setting. The house’s interaction with the landscape feels respectful and restrained, avoiding heavy intervention and instead opting for a design that responds to the contours and natural features of the site.
One of the project’s key successes is its ability to provide privacy without resorting to opaque, closed-off forms. The large windows and interior courtyards allow light and air to penetrate deep into the home, while strategic placement ensures that the house remains a retreat from the outside world. The play between openness and enclosure is masterfully handled, giving the residents a sense of security without sacrificing a connection to nature.
Casa Moita Santa Plans
Casa Moita Santa Image Gallery
About Bruno Dias Arquitectura
Bruno Dias Arquitetura is an architectural studio founded in Ansião in 2012 by Bruno Lucas Dias. The firm collaborates with various professionals, including engineers, landscape architects, and designers, to create unique and tailored architectural solutions. Specializing in small-scale projects such as residential, service, and public facilities, Bruno Dias Arquitetura prioritizes not only meeting the functional requirements of each project but also focusing on the formal dynamics and the interaction between the architecture and its surroundings.
Notes & Additional Credits
- Project Team: Tânia Matias, Cristiana Henriques
- Building Company: Eliberto Construções, Lda
- Carpentry: MCJADuarte, Lda
- Floors: Paumarc
- Aluminium: Jolusilva
