PROJECT CAPICUA

PROJECT CAPICUA

Urban Harmony with Nature at Home

This project was a simulation commissioned by a very special client: the talented singer Ana Matos Fernandes, better known as Capicua. Inspiration was drawn from her song “Casa no Campo,” and the challenge was to create a countryside home right in the heart of the city, on the bustling Avenida da Boavista in Porto, on an almost square plot with a slope of 6 meters.

The result is a rectangular-shaped house, with an entrance from the tranquil Rua Miguel Torga, creating a serene retreat within the urban hustle. Spread across two floors, the social and work areas occupy the ground floor, while the private areas are located on the upper floor. The heart of the house is the spacious living room, which opens onto a winter balcony. Outside, a platform leads to the greenhouse, the garden, and storage spaces, connecting the house with the surrounding nature.

The wavy shape of the roof, inspired by the client’s preference for sloping roofs and “flattened” spaces, pays homage to her love for mermaids. This shape not only defines the interior spaces, marking the main bedroom and the secondary rooms but also provides a unique aesthetic. Trees are strategically planted to evoke countryside life, provide privacy, and create a visual and sound barrier between the house and the bustling Avenida da Boavista. Emotions are stirred by the flowers adorning these trees, enhancing the sensory experience.

In construction, we favored natural materials such as stone and wood, giving the house a warm and rustic feel, characteristic of countryside homes. The exterior walls of the ground floor are clad in stone, while the upper floor is plastered. Inside, all walls are plastered, except for the studio, which is cork-clad to optimize acoustics.

This Capicua project is more than just a house; it is a link between rural serenity and the vibrant energy of the city, a place where the outside world harmoniously merges with the warmth of home. It is a celebration of nature, music, and life, encapsulating the artist’s unique essence and creating a space that transcends the simple concept of dwelling.