House on the Flight of Birds | Bernardo Rodrigues Arquitecto

Designed by Bernardo Rodrigues Arquitecto, House on the Flight of Birds is located in the north side of S. Michael Island in the Azores. Since the microclimate of this farmland offers frequent wind and showers, the first design strategy was to block these winds with a wall, and offer diverse patios and covered courtyards to protect against rain. These patios and courtyards also open all living spaces to the natural green by glass walls, which receded from the exterior.

On the upper floor, there are private rooms that are more enclosed and protected. The typology follows an almost classical Palladian and Scamozzi central plan design, with double height on a living room, and then two lateral wings enclosing one the kitchen.
The house also uses the high chimneys from popular residential architecture, a covered interior patio, and the other wing has the circulations for the first floor and to the roof terrace. These two wings end with light entrances from the south. The roof offers a wonderful view of all of the island’s north shore.

Project Info:
Architects: Bernardo Rodrigues Arquitecto
Location: Ribeira Grande, Portugal
Structural Calculation: HDP, engineering Ltd – Eng. Paulo Fidalgo
Preliminary Study: James Grainger, Pedro Mosca, Natacha Viveiros
Execution: Nelson Ferreira, Ye Xuanyong, Vasco Melo, Laura von Dellemann, Alexandra Balona
Mechanics: Paulo de Faria Queiros Ltd, Maria Odete de Almeida
Electricity: Mr. Gomes
Project Year: 2010
Photographs: Iwan Baan
Project Name: House on the Flight of Birds