Les Terrasses

In the historic centre of Tavira, set against the castle walls, Les Terrasses is a project to rehabilitate and extend a group of buildings on Rua Dr. Miguel Bombarda and its grounds.

The existing core, with its 18th-century main façade on Rua Miguel Bombarda, stonework and wrought-iron balconies, has been fully restored. The same care extends to the well and the tank in the inner courtyard and to one of the towers of Tavira's castle walls, both now integrated into the complex — a trace of the old castle wall, found in one of the interior walls during the archaeological monitoring of the works, underlines the historical importance of the site. Four apartments are organised within this building, served by a shared pool and garden.

Location, Tavira, Portugal
Client, UPI Tavira
Area, 3.084 m²
Phase, Built
Year, 2026

Architecture, Fragmentos
Specialties, NGE - Nuno Grave Engenharia
Supervision, Oyster
Landscape architecture, Mundo Verde
Construction, MAE
Project management, Oyster
Developer, UPI Tavira, SA
Photography, Adalberto Duarte

Around it, within the grounds, two new buildings echo the domestic scale and the hipped-roof language typical of Tavira. Facing Travessa dos Escuteiros, five two-storey houses step down in slight level changes, following the street's natural slope — a gesture that lends the new construction the same informality as the site's vernacular architecture. Four further houses complete the complex, arranged around internal courtyards that bring natural light and ventilation to the ground-floor rooms, each with its own private terrace and pool. The pedestrian routes and the design of the outdoor spaces keep the connection between the memory of the place and the new construction, with access to all the houses through the shared courtyard, reached from Travessa dos Escuteiros or from Rua Dr. Miguel Bombarda.

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