12-14,
Islands
DC House
Located on the eastern sea front in the city of Ponta Delgada, the DC house fully occupies a 114 sq. m plot, which is very small in the context of the surrounding built fabric. Densely built up, with the backs of the buildings always facing the south and the sea, the fabric is characterised by irregularly sized properties, narrow street fronts, disorganised yards and considerable variations in building height.
The pure white of the walls, the restriction of the window spans that provide views of the city and the sea, and the colourless glass, which helps to reduce barriers, all contribute to the house’s integration in this special seafront environment while reinterpreting the surroundings in a contemporary house.
The ground floor conceals the access from the pedestrian lane, with the windows raised above onlooker height but opening at the front on to a private patio, letting in the light that characterises the living room, the open-plan kitchen and the staircase. This floor houses the living/ reception spaces conceived for a young family.
The bedrooms and bathrooms are on first oor, bathed in zenithal light. The suite recognises the importance of the view with its more generously-sized recessed window, whilst in the bedrooms the windows are mere slits due to the closeness of the neighbouring house to the east.
Second floor serves as an o ice and viewing point, with vistas of 180 degrees over the southern São Miguel coastline.