Karolina Rorat and Ewa Maniak, students of the Faculty of Architecture, took the second place in an international competition ”Portugal Olive Guest House”. For their project, they also got the Buildner Student Award.

The competition was run by the platform Buildner in partnership with the Verde family, landowners in Portugal that produce homemade olive oil using traditional methods. The brief tasked participants with presenting designs for a guest house to be realised on the Verde family property. The guest house is to be centered around a multipurpose space that would mainly function as an olive oil tasting room.

The guest house ”Olive Hearth” our students designed sits on a hill with a panoramic view of the valley. It has the form of a ”twisted” windmill engaging with the landscape. A succession of planes follow the course of the topography to link the experience of being in the house to that of walking down the hill.

– The house is constructed of a typical bio-based Portuguese mudbrick which could be produced on site, and finished in a local lime plaster – say the project authors.

The house has a sunny landscaped living outdoor space with common tables and benches, designated by a number of more or less intimate garden areas.

Its most striking element is the chimney, which functions as a traditional wood-fired oven and a fireplace on both floors.

The foyer is adjacent to a large wooden table and a pantry. To emphasise the sense of community, people gather around it and together bake traditional Portuguese bread pão, which is later eaten during olive oil tasting.

According to a jury member, the project successfully combines spaces for the community and also for time spent in solitude.

The tasting room is located in a semi-open niche adjacent to the hearth. This is an intimate space and the fireplace scatters light on the floor and walls, creating a magical atmosphere. All that encourages concentration on tasting ”liquid gold”.

The elongated table flows seamlessly into a worktop connected with the wood-fired oven. Since smells bring back memories and help us to move around, here the space engages all senses.

– For us, the role of the architect is to provide people with spaces that meet their needs as well as with experiences that enhance their sense of identity and belonging – emphasise the students.

More information about the project may be found at: architecturecompetitions.com.