On a steep plot in Braga, Casa A negotiates gravity through calibration rather than force. Designed by L2C Arquitetura under the direction of Luís Cunha, with collaboration from Rui Forte, the 550-square-metre residence completes in 2024 as a measured response to a demanding site on Rua de Barros. The terrain unfolds as an irregular topography, bounded by streets to the west and marked by a strong stone wall to the east. Instead of flattening this condition, the project builds with it.
HOUSING
The architectural strategy models the ground into terraces and plateaus, establishing a sequence of horizontal layers that organize the slope. These socalcos guide the building’s footprint and generate outdoor spaces that extend domestic life into the landscape. The house reads as two offset horizontal planes resting along the hillside. Their staggered positioning introduces movement across the section and reduces the visual mass of the volume.
Orientation drives the spatial layout. The main living areas open toward the south and west, capturing sunlight and expansive views. Large openings frame the surrounding landscape, allowing the horizon to enter the interior as an active element. The composition avoids rigid symmetry and instead develops through alignment with light, gradient, and sightline.
Materiality remains restrained. The palette returns to essential finishes that emphasize structure and proportion. Roof surfaces adopt a mimetic approach, integrating the building into its surroundings and reducing its presence when viewed from above. Retaining walls align carefully with the street edge, reinforcing continuity within the urban fabric and stabilizing the terrain.
Access from Rua de Barros introduces a six-metre elevation change. A ramp mediates this transition, establishing a gradual shift from public exterior to private interior. This controlled ascent reshapes perception, offering sequential views before arrival. Inside, spatial organization continues the dialogue between enclosure and openness, with exterior terraces hierarchized to support circulation and moments of pause.
The project integrates technical coordination under L2C Arquitetura, which also led landscape design, lighting design, interior design, and visual identity. Engineering contributions include Márcia Cunha and M2N for acoustic, hydraulic, and thermal systems. Built by Predisposta LDA, Casa A consolidates architecture, engineering, and landscape into a cohesive intervention.
Casa A transforms a steep and resistant plot into inhabitable order. Through terracing, calibrated horizontality, and careful orientation, L2C Arquitetura shapes a residence that balances containment with exposure, grounding domestic life within the inclination and sky of Braga.
