- Project: TD House
- Architect: ESQUISSOS
- Location: Portugal, Sintra
- Year: 2023
- Area: 300 m2
- Photography: Ivo Tavares Studio
TD House by ESQUISSOS – Arquitetura e Consultoria in Sintra, Portugal, is a contemporary residence that merges privacy, environmental efficiency, and elegant minimalism. Defined by a white monolithic base and contrasting volumes above, the home is carefully adapted to the site’s unique topography and street scale, ensuring harmony between architecture, landscape, and context.
Project Overview
The design of TD House was determined by the site’s conditions—specifically, a notable gap between the natural ground level and the access route. This elevation difference influenced how the building was positioned, shaping its volumes and spatial hierarchy.
The lower section of the house is conceived as a solid white base that integrates into the landscape. Above, two independent box-like volumes rise, establishing a dialogue with the street level and extending the architecture toward the horizon.
Design Concept: Site, Scale & Integration
ESQUISSOS approached the project by considering three essential parameters:
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Topography: The sloping ground required a solution that could anchor the home in its lower zone while connecting to the upper access level.
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Privacy & Protection: The closed white volume provides shelter from winds and ensures a sense of seclusion, while still allowing controlled views outward.
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Street Relationship: The higher volumes are scaled to align with the street level, creating balance with the surrounding context.
This dual approach—anchored base and elevated boxes—ensures the residence is both grounded and visually connected to its environment.
Materiality & Volumetric Composition
The lower base is characterized by its monolithic white finish, simple lines, and clean geometry. This restrained palette reinforces the sense of solidity, permanence, and minimalism.
The two upper box volumes are articulated with distinct materials arranged in a ripped structure. This treatment introduces permeability and rhythm, contrasting with the solidity of the lower base while framing views of the horizon.
The contrast between smooth monolithic walls and lighter, textured upper volumes enhances spatial depth, allowing the house to be read as both protective and open.
Interior Spatial Qualities
Inside, spaces are organized to maximize the site’s natural advantages. Large openings ensure sunlight penetrates deep into the interiors, while carefully framed views establish a constant relationship with the surrounding landscape.
The private areas benefit from the elevated positioning, offering privacy without sacrificing views. Social areas are arranged for seamless indoor–outdoor transitions, taking advantage of the protective quality of the lower volume.
Energy Efficiency & Comfort
The architecture is designed for both environmental performance and long-term comfort. The monolithic lower structure provides thermal inertia, stabilizing temperatures throughout the day. Strategic openings capture daylight and promote cross-ventilation, while orientation ensures solar gain in colder months.
By integrating protection from wind, optimizing natural light, and using durable materials, TD House demonstrates how contemporary design can also be inherently sustainable.
TD House by ESQUISSOS – Arquitetura e Consultoria showcases the firm’s ability to merge contextual sensitivity with bold contemporary design. Its white monolithic base and contrasting elevated boxes transform site constraints into architectural opportunity, delivering a home that is private yet connected, protective yet open, and efficient yet elegant.
This residence redefines suburban living in Sintra, proving that thoughtful design can balance environmental performance, local identity, and modern aesthetics.
