August 15, 2025 | DESIGN & INTERIORS
the ARTIST RETREAT
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We are in a retreat house that is both an atelier and a home. Built 15 years ago by an artist couple, the house is designed by the renowned modernist architect Bartolomeu Costa Cabra—a key figure in the modern movement of Portuguese architecture. Consequently, the modernist approach in this project—the way the architecture responds to natural light, the careful selection of materials, and the smart functionality of the spaces—remains just as relevant today.
Located in Lower Alentejo, the Artist Retreat is set in one of the best-preserved areas of this region of Portugal. Constructed using compressed earth, a traditional technique, the house rises naturally from the landscape as if it had always belonged there.
The home is entered through a charming courtyard enclosed by walls adorned with orange trees and a fountain, and is divided into two distinct volumes connected by a central veranda. The second building is entirely dedicated to the atelier.
Inside, the design reflects the artist couple’s personal taste, featuring vintage furniture and objects along with carefully selected textiles.
(*) Fantastic Frank Lisbon curates a portfolio that includes works by some of Portugal’s leading architects and designers, as well as houses with great character and historical charm.
