Domus Impluvium / Bernardo Rodrigues

© FG+SG – Fernando Guerra, Sergio Guerra

Architect: Bernardo Rodrigues
Location: Capelas, st Michael Island, Azores
Collaborators: Natacha Viveiros, Pedro Mosca, Laura von Dellemann, Cristina Fernandes, Breatrice Dornseifer, Nelson Ferreira, Nuno Malheiros, Olivia Antunes, Ricardo Monteverde
Engineering: Faria e Maia, eng.
Clients: Jorge e Joana Filipe
Project Area: 400 sqm
Project Year: 2004-2006
Photographs: FG+SG – Fernando Guerra, Sergio Guerra


The project is a reinterpretation of the classic Greek and Roman model of the house with two courtyards, one for entrance and the other central, collecting the rain waters, letting light and ventilation reach the open gound floor, of living and kitchen.

site plan

The house is composed in two levels and built at the center of a triangular site.
On the first floor the rooms and bathroom. The kitchen inside a giant light chimney volume recalls the tall stone chimneys of the popular Azorean architecture, joined by a traditional exterior oven.

© FG+SG – Fernando Guerra, Sergio Guerra

Between the garage and the kitchen a small volume with wood horizontal planks serves as cloth drier using natural ventilation and recalls the typical tobacco driyers from popular architecture built on the south coast of the island.

© FG+SG – Fernando Guerra, Sergio Guerra

The exterior to east and south is cast with the local lava stone, recalling the usual stone walls dividing the lands and protecting the houses all over the island landscape. On top a play with two moving cryptomeria wood volumes around the impluvium courtyard envelops the rooms and links also with the traditional added wood volumes seen all over the landscape. This wood is originary from japan and covers the island. These two volumes frame the view towards the north shore and ocean in the main room, and towards the seven cities volcano and mountains on the second room, at south.

© FG+SG – Fernando Guerra, Sergio Guerra

The main impluvium courtyard is painted with old yellow ocre color and the bathroom courtyard is painted with a soft pink, both used on the typical noble houses of the island.

site plan

ground floor plan

second floor plan

elevations 01

elevations 02

elevation 03

section