Two houses in Ponte de Lima

Eduardo Souto de Moura – Quinta de Anquião, Ponte de Lima, Portugal, 2001-2002

As parallelepiped volumes, the two buildings are similar. Yet they are diametrically opposed. One house cantilevers out from the slope, standing out in sharp relief; the other slides gently down the steep hill, parallel to the slope. But the contrast is not just about relating differently to the natural environment. The houses are studies in “livability.” Each responds to different needs: one opens to the surrounding landscape, the other turns inward, in accordance with the client’s desire for privacy.