Pinewood Villa | João Tiago Aguiar, arquitectos

Set within a dense pinewood landscape, this refurbishment of a villa sought to dissolve the boundary between interior and exterior, cultivating a deeper relationship with nature and light. The intervention was guided by a desire for clarity, restraint, and timelessness; qualities revealed subtly in the way space unfolds and materials are composed. The essence of the project lies in balance: between shadow and light, solid and void, shelter and openness. 

A defining move was the repositioning of the staircase. The original, oversized structure dominated the living room and disrupted spatial flow. By relocating it to the entrance hall (previously disproportionate in scale) the project regained living space and introduced a striking double-height void filled with natural light. A sculptural note is introduced through two initial stone treads that, detached from the wall and the main flight, seem to emerge like autonomous elements. From there, the staircase continues in wood, integrating discreet storage beneath, uniting function and spatial clarity.

To create this vertical connection, the two existing large bathrooms on the upper floor were redesigned into smaller ones, allowing for the double-height space while improving overall flow. The mezzanine’s balustrade was also replaced by a new one that doubles as a bookshelf; simultaneously functional and poetic.

The fireplace was reinterpreted: the former stone hearth and visible chimney gave way to a dark grey metal wall, punctuated only by the fire opening: an elemental, abstract gesture. On the garden façade, new wide French doors invite the exterior in and flood the interior with light.

Other spatial reconfigurations enhanced everyday use: the maid’s bathroom became a discreet guest toilet by reversing its access, and the old kitchen-access guest bathroom was transformed into an en-suite for the master bedroom. A redesigned pergola now extends the master suite, creating a private, shaded outdoor area with strategic openings that filter light and preserve openness. 

The exterior was equally transformed. The former bean-shaped pool became a rectilinear form for relaxation and sunbathing; its interior and surrounding area clad in handmade green terracotta tiles that merge with the garden’s palette.

The annex was restructured into three visually lighter volumes. Entrances were recessed and marked with translucent glass, breaking the building’s mass and suggesting a sequence of distinct yet related functions: laundry, storage, technical areas. This architectural rhythm echoes in the new pergola, with lateral interruptions allowing light to pass through and softening its silhouette.

Throughout, noble materials such as wood, stone and glass are paired with handmade tiles, especially in the upstairs bathrooms. This is architecture that recedes in favor of atmosphere and clarity. The project aimed to be grounded in a quiet architecture, where the precision of each gesture builds a lasting relationship between space, use, and context.

Project team: Nuno Sequeira, Francisco Barosa, Beatriz Frois, Maria Reis, Giulia Giust,   Rita Cardoso Lemos, Rúben Mateus, Diogo Romão, Ricardo Carvalho, Pedro Vieira, Paulo Jorge Dias, Élvio Pereira, João Fonseca, Gonçalo Coimbra, Carolina Silva, Maria Sousa Otto, Susana Luís, Renata Vieira.

Builder: José Nunes, Construções

Engineering: Engenharia 3.4

Photography: FRANCISCO NOGUEIRA