PARADISE REFRAMED. GARDEN IN THE ALGARVE

Located in the Algarve, one kilometre from the ocean, this garden is shaped by a Mediterranean climate of prolonged drought, where limitation becomes a driver of form. Conceived as both a family residence and a high-end rental, it operates as a hybrid landscape, accommodating multiple rhythms of use within a specific spatial order.

Rather than replicating the classical image of paradise, the project reinterprets it as a calibrated refuge, where paradise is not a state of perfection but a carefully constructed balance. Shade, coolness, and a quiet, living soundscape are carefully orchestrated within a territory defined by extreme summer temperatures and water scarcity.

The garden is structured as a gradient of intensity. Near the house, a robust lawn supports collective use; beyond, the landscape becomes progressively restrained, dissolving into a dispersed field of movement and contemplation. These uses unfold along a continuous spatial sequence.

Vegetation is organised in clusters within a permeable mineral ground, maximising infiltration and reducing maintenance. Water is treated as a finite resource, minimised through soil permeability, targeted irrigation, and drought-tolerant planting, remaining largely invisible yet essential.

At its centre, the orchard and vegetable garden introduce seasonal cycles. Planting transitions from ornamental to native systems, enhancing biodiversity and resilience.

A contemporary garden of refuge, where abundance is defined not by excess, but by precision — a balance between climate, resources, and experience — and where the senses are fully absorbed within an enclosed world of light, shade, and biophilia.

CREDITS

Client: Acqua di Mare

Design Team: Teresa Barão, Catarina Viana, Elsa Calhau, Luis Ribeiro, André Godinho

External collaborators:

Architects: Rodrigo Machado Soares RMS | AQA Architects;
Lighting Design: Pedro Telhado;
Photography: Jgphoto.graphy | João Guimarães;

Building Company: MASTER NATURA ALGARVE

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