Pedrógão | House Deolinda

On the 17th of June 2017, a major wildfire broke out in Pedrógão Grande, and spread through the forest to Figueiró dos Vinhos, Castanheira de Pêra, Sertã, Penela, Góis e Pampilhosa da Serra, affecting 500 houses (259 of which were primary residences). 64 people died trying to escape the fires.

Following the tragedy, citizens and institutions made donations to help the reconstruction of the houses and lives affected by the fires. The Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, responsible for one of the largest funds, contracted a Cooperativa Trabalhar com os 99% crl. (Working with the 99%, Coop), to provide technical assistance in the process of reconstruction, in which Ateliermob produced the project of seven houses.

More than the simple reconstruction of houses that were lost, the main objective was to improve the living conditions of these communities, with particular attention to the fact that, in general, we were dealing with an elderly population.

The context and specific conditions of construction were elements that can resist the possibility of fire, in this case, making use of the stone masonry walls, which led to the integral reconstruction of the residence, limited by the perimeter of the lot in which it was inserted.

The conjugation of the programme, with a base on the pre-existing and the criteria established for the general construction, resulted in this residence which develops entirely on the ground floor, with the possibility of making use of the attic.

From the total volume, two parts were subtracted to create a covered porch to the south and a patio to the north. The first space is a secondary entrance and parking zone; the second, where the barbecue area is found, is open to the adjacent land.