Casa Belas Clube de Campo – Portugal
Located on a large plot of land overlooking the Sintra mountain range in western Portugal, ‘Casa Belas Clube de Campo’, an impressive country club comprised of geometric volumes taking in views of the mountains, the ocean, and the Pena Palace, one of Portugal’s cultural wonders and a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Designed by Bica Architects the country club is distinguished by its mammoth white, angled concrete slab that is stacked above its ground floor, giving the impression that it hovers out over the building. This south-facing floor creates a stark contrast with the ground floor it rests on, which by comparison is a transparent expanse of space comprised almost entirely of glass walls. The ground floor establishes a visual and functional continuity with the outdoor spaces. Multiple internal skylights and indented spaces filter natural light throughout the club house. Exterior communal spaces include a large terrace and infinity pool, with concrete steps that cascade down to a grassed lawn.