house ab (Oitoo)

Located in a suburban context on the outskirts of Braga, in northern Portugal, this project engages with the particular constraints of a typical 1980s residential neighbourhood characterised by semi-detached houses and repetitive plots.

The challenge lies in responding to an environment defined by uniformity, limited spatial width, and a pronounced street slope.

The intervention seeks to “complete” the void between two existing dwellings, inserting a new volume that respects the rhythm of the neighbourhood while asserting its own identity. To mediate the considerable height difference and the generous interior volume, the house unfolds into a sequence of split levels. This spatial strategy creates unexpected cross-views and diagonals, establishing visual relationships between all areas of the home and amplifying the perception of space.

In this context—where continuity and distinction must coexist—the project takes on a precise architectural question: how can a new house fit in, while still standing out?