THE HILL CORK HOUSE BY CONTAMINAR ARQUITECTOS

Cork and concrete for a hidden Portuguese home

Half hidden in the rocky soil of Leiria, Portugal, the Hill Cork House is an exercise in discretion. Designed by Contaminar Arquitectos, the Eastern façade of the home is almost invisible, buried in the landscape and betrayed only by a few stone ramps that penetrate the green roof.

On the Western face, the concrete makes itself apparent with a seemingly contradictory openness. But the voluminous angles hide an interior organization of private spaces where an indoor pool reflects the raw concrete and the exterior light and shapes.

A cork skin covers the Northern, Western and Southern exterior of the home, reflecting a local resource and contributing to the home’s quiet presence. It also adds a softness that reconciles the building with the surrounding nature.