The House Matosinhos, designed by Porto based Jorge Domingues Arquitectos, is located in Rua das Amoreiras, Matosinhos, Portugal. Comprising an area just shy of 300 square meters, the home is refined and minimal. Minimalism seems to be the design studios mantra—everything from their clean and simple website design right through to their building designs demonstrate an impressive finesse and attention to detail. The simple contemporary language of the home is expressed in a unique and inviting way. Let's take a closer look!
It is located in the east of the city of Matosinhos, that is characterised by two to three storey detached housing. The site has a trapezoidal shape with the street boundary to the east—here, a simple white facade has two square perforations staggered one on top of another. Frosted glass gives an obscured view into the inner, private sanctuary of the home. This imbues a sense of mystery and intrigue.
The project called for a dwelling to house a small family and a garage able to accommodate two cars. The mass of the home is interrupted by a series of subtractions that develop a dynamic language of negative and positive volumes. The front entry is, in fact, located at the back. At the end of the long driveway, it is tucked within a recessed void, and asserted with steps that employ a contrasting material.
Comprising three floors, the programs of the home develop a privacy gradient over the various levels. The ground floor houses the more social spaces of the home, including; a kitchen with utility room, a living room and a small bathroom to support these functions. On the first floor the functions which require a greater degree of intimacy are found, such as; the parents bedroom suite and two bedrooms of children with a toilet. At the very top of the home, a small work space finds removal and isolation from the other spaces. The vertical circulation is runs through this beautiful open timber stairwell that softly filters light through the void.
All of the interiors are simple, white and minimal—the only deviation from this all white aesthetic is the natural timber floors which add a warmth to the space. The Window and floor framing is recessed to create large, seamless openings. For more living space ideas, take a look at these examples!
Here, the work space on the top floor takes advantage of the wonderfully large roof terrace. It is hard to imagine the functions of these spaces as they have been photographed; completely devoid of furniture, furnishings or personal belongings, one must use their imagination to transform the space from the generic to the personal.
This image captures the restraint and attention to detail in a single shot. The doors to the bedroom are aligned with the full height window slots. The recessed framing make the windows disappear. Negative detailing is used throughout the design to achieve a seamless aesthetic.
If you enjoyed this minimal home in Portugal you may also like to take a look A Gorgeous Minimal Home in The Woods.