There has to be a fundamental value that separates true, decadent design from the usual (if exquisite) holiday retreat. All too often, luxurious villas and apartments muddy areas of natural beauty to satisfy ever-growing tourism needs – it is rare to come across property that makes a definite point of subtlety, to blend into its environment as if it grew from the earth instead of being placed there by man.
courtesy Savills
It takes even more precision in design to create a building that looks natural in its setting, yet incredibly inviting as a destination that you’re not meant to want to leave. This Savills property in Quinta Do Lago in the Algarve perfectly articulates the architectural conundrum that is typically associated with creating innovative spaces in already beautiful locations – how can modern luxury blend in to such a stunning environment?
courtesy Savills
Surely, it all begins with the exterior of said building. In the Savills property, flowing, curved walls echo the outline of the lake that the house sits by. The infinity pool echoes the still water and the colour of the sky on a rich summer’s day, and exterior walls are rendered with light yet warm colours, be they of rock or wood. Though the building may not be the colour of the green lands it sits in, the walls are not uniform and in that way, they echo the unsymmetrical patterns found in nature. This is not to say that the building is plain though, far from it as grand balconies and pillars rise out of the ground – they may not be of organic construct, but somehow it fits.
courtesy Savills
The exterior may settle into the backdrop of manicured greenery, beaches and lakes, but the interior of the Algarve property is anything but subtle. The colours employed may not be ostentatious, but the combination of immaculate finish and stunning views equate to something quite special.
courtesy Savills
Bedrooms and master-suites come complete with panoramic views of the Quinta Do Lago, and a glass staircase flows through the structure, only semi-visibly connecting floors. Glass plays a large part in the success of this listing, creating seamless borders between spaces, and as a device which allows the breakdown in boundaries between indoors and out.
Combined with warm echoes of the exterior, with wood and sand-coloured marble flooring, you’ll see the property as a building without limits, somewhere that interior design and solid architecture doesn’t damage the surrounding landscape – somewhere that you’ll want to be. The only challenge would be furnishing it to fit into the flawless tone it’s created for itself.
+ All images courtesy Savills
