Town-HomesBarreira, Portugal2023
The Town-Homes proposal envisions a miniature village designed to balance the dichotomies of aging: independence and support, social engagement and privacy, activity and rest. Three L-shaped apartment blocks surround shared spaces such as a dining hall, gathering area, and nurses’ rooms, while a chapel and library anchor the site’s southeast corner. A central plaza connects these elements, with multiple paths—including accessible walkways—encouraging ease of navigation and fostering a sense of community.

The apartments are modest yet adaptable, with accessible layouts, en suite restrooms, and thoughtful thresholds mediating private and communal spaces. Passive design strategies, such as limestone thermal mass, natural cross-ventilation, and native landscaping, enhance comfort and sustainability. The material palette relies on local limestone masonry, timber framing, and clay tile roofing, grounding the project in regional building traditions while creating a textured and enduring environment for aging in place.

Client: Competition Entry
Program: Retirement Housing 
Area: 1207 m² / 13000 sf
Status: Shortlisted Entry 
Services: Architecture, Interior Design
Collaborators: Taylor Halamka, Melissa Naranjo Barrientos 

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