Burrowed away in the beautiful and charming city of Tavira, in the south of Portugal, stands House ALM with its shy and understated facade. A timeworn windowsill with a slight penchant for a classic aesthetic welcomes its visitors. Estudio ODS does not drop the ball though; as timeless minimalism reigns supreme for this refurbishment project.

The house acts as a bridge between two streets, as each entrance hold its own ground. The secondary access through a red door is an extraordinary visual experience for the passer-by, as a narrow passage reduces it all to a superb white corridor with the beautiful sky as its pair. A striking composition that curiously represents what the residence replicates throughout, it’s all about visual lightness despite its narrowness.

As the residence grows vertically, the dynamic for the user to roam around is constrained by the slender, but well-balanced, program. The architects never lost sight of the importance of natural light and ventilation, as a true promenade ensues through three levels — kudos to the beautiful pool embedded on the far side.

With the right dose of constraints, the residence achieved visual nimbleness and all the while offering plenty of functionality for the family — only minimalism can achieve such conquest with such affluence.