Set within the historic hill of Aljezur, in Portugal’s Costa Vicentina Natural Park and within easy reach of some of the Algarve’s most remarkable beaches, this four-level house was fully renovated in 2022 as an architectural project by Lisbon-based PLCO Studio (Architect Pedro Oliveira). Positioned among the traditional white houses of the old village, the building maintains a restrained exterior presence while unfolding inside as a carefully composed sequence of light, geometry and views.

The house is organised vertically across four levels, with the most expressive architectural moment unfolding at the upper living floor. Here, the living room opens beside the terrace and is defined by a large semicircular window that occupies almost the full height of the wall. This curved opening frames the landscape and brings the sky deep into the interior, while long rectilinear ceiling lines create a deliberate dialogue between straight and circular forms. From the terrace, the view stretches across the valley towards the Aljezur Castle, where the Portuguese flag remains visible above the hill. With minimal light pollution and the surrounding natural landscape, this space naturally becomes a place for observing the night sky.

The kitchen sits adjacent to the living room and continues the material language, including Estremoz marble countertops, Portuguese pine floors and hydraulic mosaic tiles. Fully equipped with Smeg appliances, it is organised for everyday use as well as long meals shared with friends and family. From here, the terrace continues as a sheltered garden patio, occupying the footprint of the original Arab courtyard that once stood on the site. Partially framed by exposed rock from the hillside, this outdoor space remains protected from the wind and connects the house directly to the terrain on which the historic village developed.

The lower levels of the house are dedicated to rest and privacy. Entry begins through a small hall that organises the first spaces of the house, including a bedroom suite alongside the laundry and utility area. Above, two further bedrooms occupy the following level: a principal suite facing the village and a large children’s room arranged with built-in bunk beds designed to accommodate multiple guests, reflecting the house’s character as a place for family gatherings and summer memories.

A discreet alternating-step staircase leads to the uppermost level, where a room currently used as a home office can function equally as a fourth bedroom thanks to its own WC. With open views and separation from the rest of the house, it offers a quiet environment suited to focused work or private guest accommodation.

Materials were selected with a strong regional identity. Portuguese pine flooring runs throughout the house, while Estremoz marble appears in the kitchen and social areas. Hydraulic mosaic tiles and marbleite bathroom finishes add further texture, balancing contemporary architectural intervention with references to local building traditions.

Aljezur sits on Portugal’s western Algarve within the protected Costa Vicentina Natural Park, an area defined by one of Europe’s last truly wild Atlantic coastlines. The landscape here feels open and elemental, where cliffs, valleys and long beaches meet the ocean. It is a place people have settled for thousands of years, drawn by the same valley, river and fertile land that still shape life in the village today.

Life in Aljezur moves at a quieter rhythm. The town remains closely connected to its surrounding landscape and to a strong local community shaped by agriculture, fishing and regional food traditions. Along the nearby coast, beaches shift in character from surf destinations such as Arrifana to the broader sands of Monte Clérigo and the sheltered river mouth at Amoreira, offering options for surfers, families and slower days by the Atlantic. These beaches are among the most iconic along Portugal’s west coast, expansive and largely untouched.

Local restaurants celebrate the region’s produce, from Atlantic seafood to the sweet potatoes that have long defined Aljezur’s agricultural identity. The result is a place where nature, history and everyday life remain closely intertwined, offering a rare balance between raw coastal landscape and a welcoming village atmosphere.