Just to the south of the Sado Valley, almost by the sea and a little before Sines, is the village of Melides. This “monte” is a short distance away. I found it for an uncle and his family, who wanted a holiday and weekend home close to the local beaches – which are still fairly well preserved – and not too far from Lisbon.

There was already a house here – unfinished, badly built, and laid-out: a mess. We repaired it, added bits, improved other parts, and created a dazzling white Alentejo farmhouse. Its roof tiles are cleaned and treated halfpipes, which blend into the countryside in the most natural way. We sought to create this harmony between nature and the style of the region.

The house is almost entirely ground-floor, with just the central part raised. This was converted into a loft, and three windows were added, in a rather unusual style for this type of house. Although it does not clash with the rest of the building, on the contrary, the windows blend in with the overall theme and dominant style, as a small, virtually unnoticeable, and very subtle improvisation. In fact, the upper floor being a slightly unusual feature gives the house its name: “casa alta” means ‘tall house’.

The outdoor leisure areas are an important feature, as are the south-facing porches, which extend the lounge and provide cool areas for relaxing and socializing in comfort.