The soft sounds of a gently bubbling courtyard fountain welcome residents to this Bartolomeu Costa Cabral-designed property in Alentejo, conceived as a unique live/work country retreat for an artist couple.
The remote four-bedroom Beja house and art studios nestle on a quiet country estate, surrounded by nine hectares of cork and oak trees, with panoramic vistas of Alentejo’s famous montado countryside.
Costa Cabral, who died earlier this year at the age of 95, completed this building towards the end of his career, and the remote retreat bears the hallmarks of his oeuvre, namely stark geometric forms, excellent use of natural light, local materials and creation of functional spaces.
Its long, horizontal volumes are made from rammed earth – a technique used across southern Portugal to weather the climate – meaning the orange-tinted building looks like it’s sprung straight from the terrain.
Photography: Fantastic Frank Lisbon
Photography: Fantastic Frank Lisbon
Photography: Fantastic Frank Lisbon
Photography: Fantastic Frank Lisbon
Photography: Fantastic Frank Lisbon
Photography: Fantastic Frank Lisbon
Photography: Fantastic Frank Lisbon
Photography: Fantastic Frank Lisbon
The studio and house are two distinct volumes, each with its own entrance, but they are connected by a central patio used as an outdoor dining area. The family wing centres around the large kitchen, designed for entertaining guests with plenty of counter space and bespoke cabinets. Two double and two single bedrooms complete the wing, with a shared family bathroom.
The large atelier, custom-designed with a ceramic studio, study, large warehouse/storage and a quiet room for napping, is a versatile space that can be used as an art studio, a music or yoga studio, or an event space. It could even be converted into a three-bedroom dwelling, as listing agent Fantastic Frank Lisbon notes it ‘is licensed as residential.’
An outdoor saltwater lap pool with wooden decking is positioned to enjoy views across the landscape, dotted with orange and lemon trees. This pocket of Alentejo is particularly unspoilt, thanks to its small population and largely agricultural local economy. There is very little light pollution, making it ideal for star-gazing.
The country home is equipped with solar panels, roof-water cooling systems, and bespoke windows, all of which have been installed to reduce energy consumption. These features not only contribute to the property’s A+ rating in sustainability but also offer long-term cost savings and reduce its environmental impact.
The artist’s property is asking for €2.8m. An additional 352 hectares of land, which includes an old ruin for renovation, is also available for sale for an additional sum of €2.464m, offering the opportunity to own a larger slice of the Alentejo landscape.
