2003 - 2011

Manuel Aires Mateus's 7 Row Houses at Bom Sucesso Resort showcasing a modern design with a minimalist aesthetic, surrounded by lush vegetation, trees, and a well-maintained lawn.

Photo by Nathalie B

Manuel Aires Mateus's 7 Row Houses at Bom Sucesso Resort showcasing a modern design with a landscaped environment featuring perennial plants and Agave tequilana.

Manuel Aires Mateus's 7 Row Houses at Bom Sucesso Resort showcasing a modern villa design with a swimming pool, landscaped garden, and artificial turf surrounded by evergreen plants.

Manuel Aires Mateus's 7 Row Houses at Bom Sucesso Resort showcasing a modern urban design with concrete and plaster materials, featuring daylighting elements and shaded areas.

Manuel Aires Mateus's 7 Row Houses at Bom Sucesso Resort showcasing a modern design with concrete and composite materials, featuring large glass sliding doors, aluminum elements, and integrated landscaping for daylighting.

Manuel Aires Mateus's 7 Row Houses at Bom Sucesso Resort showcasing a modern design with concrete structures, landscaped gardens, and expansive grassy lawns.

Manuel Aires Mateus's 7 Row Houses at Bom Sucesso Resort showcasing a modern design with concrete structures, composite materials, and landscaped surroundings.

Manuel Aires Mateus's 7 Row Houses at Bom Sucesso Resort showcasing a modern design with a landscaped backyard, grass lawn, and shaded areas.

Manuel Aires Mateus's 7 Row Houses at Bom Sucesso Resort showcasing a modern design with composite material, concrete structure, grey tones, and daylighting elements, featuring plaster finishes and home doors casting shadows.

Manuel Aires Mateus's 7 Row Houses at Bom Sucesso Resort showcasing a minimalist design with concrete and plaster materials, featuring grey tones and strategic daylighting elements.

Manuel Aires Mateus's 7 Row Houses at Bom Sucesso Resort showcasing minimalist design with a flat roof, expansive glass façades, and integrated landscaping blending with the surrounding grass and meadow.

Manuel Aires Mateus's 7 Row Houses at Bom Sucesso Resort showcasing a minimalist design with a landscaped garden, grass-covered yard, and neatly arranged shrubs.

Manuel Aires Mateus's 7 Row Houses at Bom Sucesso Resort showcasing a modern design with a landscaped garden, lush grass, and neatly trimmed hedges.

Manuel Aires Mateus's 7 Row Houses at Bom Sucesso Resort showcasing a modern design with concrete structures, landscaped gardens, and a shaded courtyard.

Manuel Aires Mateus's 7 Row Houses at Bom Sucesso Resort showcasing a modern architectural design with concrete structures, expansive glass façades, and a surrounding grassy landscape.

Manuel Aires Mateus's 7 Row Houses at Bom Sucesso Resort showcasing a modern design with integrated landscaping and ample daylighting through large windows.

Manuel Aires Mateus's 7 Row Houses at Bom Sucesso Resort showcasing a modern design with concrete structures, landscaped gardens, and a central courtyard surrounded by evergreen shrubs and conifers.

Manuel Aires Mateus's 7 Row Houses at Bom Sucesso Resort showcasing a modern design with concrete structures, integrated garden landscaping, and conifers enhancing daylighting.

Manuel Aires Mateus's 7 Row Houses at Bom Sucesso Resort showcasing a modern urban design with composite materials, concrete structures, and daylighting elements casting shadows on plaster and tile surfaces.

Manuel Aires Mateus's 7 Row Houses at Bom Sucesso Resort showcasing minimalist design with flat roofs, large glass windows, and surrounded by grassy meadows.

Manuel Aires Mateus's 7 Row Houses at Bom Sucesso Resort showcasing a modern design with composite materials, expansive glass façades, and landscaped lawns surrounded by grassy meadows.

Manuel Aires Mateus's 7 Row Houses at Bom Sucesso Resort showcasing a modern urban design with concrete structures, daylighting, and landscaped yards bordered by hedges.

Manuel Aires Mateus's 7 Row Houses at Bom Sucesso Resort showcasing a modern design with concrete structures, composite materials, and integrated landscaping providing shade and daylighting in the backyard.

Manuel Aires Mateus's 7 Row Houses at Bom Sucesso Resort showcasing a modern design with a glass façade, integrated garden landscaping, and daylighting features, including perennial plants like yucca and agave tequilana.

Manuel Aires Mateus's 7 Row Houses at Bom Sucesso Resort showcasing a modern design with concrete structures, composite materials, and strategic daylighting creating shadows during the daytime.

Manuel Aires Mateus's 7 Row Houses at Bom Sucesso Resort showcasing a modern design with composite materials, a blue swimming pool, landscaped gardens, and a water feature surrounded by a well-maintained lawn.

Manuel Aires Mateus's 7 Row Houses at Bom Sucesso Resort showcasing a modern design with a blue swimming pool, composite materials, and a reflecting pool integrated into the landscaped resort setting.

Manuel Aires Mateus's 7 Row Houses at Bom Sucesso Resort showcasing a minimalist design with white and grey concrete structures, outdoor furniture, and shaded areas.

Manuel Aires Mateus's 7 Row Houses at Bom Sucesso Resort showcasing a modern urban design with grey concrete and plaster materials, featuring daylighting and tile elements.

Manuel Aires Mateus's 7 Row Houses at Bom Sucesso Resort showcasing a modern design with concrete and composite materials, featuring shaded areas and integrated landscaping for enhanced daylighting.

Manuel Aires Mateus's 7 Row Houses at Bom Sucesso Resort showcasing a modern design with concrete structures, landscaped courtyards, and shaded garden areas.

Manuel Aires Mateus's 7 Row Houses at Bom Sucesso Resort showcasing a minimalist design with concrete structures, landscaped gardens, and expansive lawns.

Manuel Aires Mateus's 7 Row Houses at Bom Sucesso Resort showcasing a modern design with a blue swimming pool, composite material structures, landscaped gardens, and water features reflecting the surrounding resort environment.

Manuel Aires Mateus's 7 Row Houses at Bom Sucesso Resort showcasing a modern design with concrete structures, extensive use of daylighting, and landscaped gardens with hedges and evergreen plants.

Manuel Aires Mateus's 7 Row Houses at Bom Sucesso Resort showcasing a minimalist design with concrete structures and ample daylighting.

Manuel Aires Mateus's 7 Row Houses at Bom Sucesso Resort showcasing a modern urban design with concrete and composite materials, featuring shaded areas and daylighting elements integrated into the landscaping.

Manuel Aires Mateus's 7 Row Houses at Bom Sucesso Resort showcasing a modern design with concrete structures, daylighting features, and evergreen landscaping providing shade and shadow.

Manuel Aires Mateus's 7 Row Houses at Bom Sucesso Resort showcasing a modern residential area with a landscaped estate and aerial view of urban design elements.

Manuel Aires Mateus's 7 Row Houses at Bom Sucesso Resort showcasing minimalist design with a plain land lot setting.

Manuel Aires Mateus's 7 Row Houses at Bom Sucesso Resort showcasing a modern estate design with extensive landscaping, manicured lawns, and strategic daylighting elements.

Manuel Aires Mateus's 7 Row Houses at Bom Sucesso Resort showcasing urban design with concrete structures, composite materials, and landscaped courtyards.

Manuel Aires Mateus's 7 Row Houses at Bom Sucesso Resort showcasing a modern design with a swimming pool, landscaped garden, and water feature integrated into the leisure-focused resort environment.

Manuel Aires Mateus's 7 Row Houses at Bom Sucesso Resort showcasing a modern design with a landscaped garden, expansive lawn, and shaded backyard.

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The Bom Sucesso Resort, nestled near the medieval town of Óbidos, is a remarkable tourist village spanning approximately 150 hectares, featuring around 600 villas. This ambitious project is the work of 23 renowned architects, including luminaries such as Álvaro Siza, Eduardo Souto de Moura, and João Luís Carrilho da Graça. The resort is a testament to innovative design and architectural diversity, with each villa offering a unique interpretation of modern living.

Among these contributions, the villas and rowhouses designed by Manuel and Francisco Aires Mateus stand out for their sculptural clarity and spatial composition. Defined by their minimalist cubic forms and stark white façades, these residences have earned the local nickname “The White Blocks.” Their design is rooted in a philosophy that prioritizes spatial organization, privacy, and a seamless connection with the landscape.

The project consists of 12 T3-T4 villas and 7 T2-T3 rowhouses, all adhering to a precise architectural approach. The villas are oriented eastward, with swimming pools positioned to the west, maximizing the garden space between neighboring houses. This layout ensures optimal natural lighting and evokes a spatial experience reminiscent of traditional Portuguese homes with thick, solid walls, imparting a sense of permanence and territorial identity.

The rowhouses, located on Rua do Sol Poente, translate these same architectural principles into a more compact format, incorporating a shared garden and pool to balance community living with privacy. Their landscaped roofs and enclosed courtyards create a fluid connection between indoor and outdoor spaces, reinforcing a sense of openness and natural integration.

As Manuel Aires Mateus explains:

“The project aims to emphasize the unique natural characteristics of the location as a means for its promotion. The houses are located to the east and the swimming pools to the west, freeing up as much space as possible for the garden between neighboring houses. This disposition affords lighting and a spatial perception related, as I remember, to the thick, solid house walls of days gone by.”

This vision is evident in every aspect of the design. The careful use of structural walls, courtyards, and gardens serves both aesthetic and functional purposes, defining space while fostering tranquility and privacy. The choice of local materials and sustainable construction methods further highlights the architects’ commitment to environmental harmony.

At Bom Sucesso Resort, these villas and rowhouses stand as a testament to Aires Mateus’ architectural philosophy—where space, light, and materiality come together to create homes that feel both timeless and profoundly connected to their surroundings.

2 Villas T3-4 (8 not built, 1 stopped)

T3-T4 Villas, Lot 146-176 at Bom Sucesso Resort (8 unbuilt, 1 unfinished)
T2 (7 Units), Lot 143 at Bom Sucesso Resort