Holiday House in Cerva, Portugal

Unfolding down a rocky slope in undulating geometric forms, this holiday home for rent in Portugal makes a bold modern statement in an otherwise natural context.

The house is an intoxicating installation of graphic concrete forms firmly anchored to the mountain, with staggered, Escher-like levels of exterior and interior stairs that connect the spaces, artfully revealing the house as they ascend and descend.

The main living space is placed at the center, with a fireside lounge, a fully equipped kitchen and dining space, and warm wood accents that break up the coolness of the concrete.

The stairs repeat throughout the interiors connecting the spaces with borderless slats. There are three bedrooms that can sleep up to five guests and a minimalist, neutral selection of furnishings that quietly complement the spaces. The outdoor terraces correspond to the rooflines of the various levels and there are pedestrian paths that link them together. Each room has its own patio space.

The outdoor terraces adapt to the terrain, with direct links to the gardens, and a plunge pool at the center with fountains that cascade down, naturally unifying the house and its environment.

The building was designed by Portuguese architect Alvaro Leite Siza (son of the Pritzker Prize-winning architect of the same name), detail in ideasgn >

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