A house in Comporta, Portugal, wraps around a private pool with curved roofline, pale walls, and pine trees

Carvalhal House Turns Its Rooms Inward to Shield a Pool From Neighbors

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Written by Sam Johnson

2026-11-05

Turn a house inward and the neighbors lose their grip on the view. That is the bet behind this house in Comporta, a coastal home in Carvalhal on the Alentejo coast of Portugal, designed by Aurora Arquitectos. The site sits in a small residential development where nearby houses could easily look straight into the property.

Angled rooms create a courtyard

The architects did not build one continuous block. They split the house into several sections, each turned slightly away from the others. Those turns shape the entrance, mark out outdoor seating and decide how the rooms meet.

Aerial view of a curved modern house wrapping around a swimming pool, neighboring homes beyond.
An aerial view of a modern house in Comporta, Portugal, showing its unusual curved and angled layout surrounding a swimming pool, with nearby homes and pine trees visible.

The result is a courtyard house that pulls the swimming pool and its terraces into the middle of the plan. A curved roofline follows the outdoor living space. Gaps between the sections stop the courtyard from feeling sealed off.

Ground-floor plan of a five-bedroom house with separate bedroom wings around a central pool.
Ground-floor architectural plan of a contemporary five-bedroom house, showing separate bedroom sections, shared living spaces, outdoor courtyards, and a central swimming pool.
Outdoor dining area beside a pool, with patio furniture and a fabric shade sail overhead.
A modern outdoor living and dining area beside a swimming pool, with contemporary patio furniture, a curved roof opening, and a fabric shade sail overhead.
Covered poolside terrace with pale walls, a rooftop staircase, lounge furniture, and curved roof opening.
A covered poolside terrace with pale exterior walls, an outdoor staircase leading to the rooftop, comfortable lounge furniture, and a curved opening in the roof.

Openings aimed past the neighbors

The windows do much of the work. Their positions and orientations were chosen so that the views run out to the pine forest rather than into the house next door.

Privacy can also come from the wall itself rather than the layout, as Montreal’s Lens House and Its Glass-Brick Privacy shows with a facade that filters views while letting light in.

Sheltered courtyard with a circular roof opening, glass doors, and curved shadows across pale walls.
A sheltered outdoor courtyard with a circular roof opening, floor-to-ceiling glass doors, pale walls, and curved shadows falling across the terrace.

In practice, the house faces inward for privacy and still looks outward at the trees. The effect is most visible in the sheltered outdoor areas. Walls, curved openings in the roof and large glass panels frame the landscape in several different ways.

Small sandy courtyard beside sliding glass doors, with a roof opening framing blue sky.
A small sandy courtyard beside large sliding glass doors, where a curved opening in the overhanging roof frames the blue sky and surrounding pine trees.
Minimalist interior with a large glass opening onto a sheltered terrace and pine trees beyond.
A minimalist interior with a large glass opening looking through a sheltered terrace toward pine trees, framed by pale walls and floor-length curtains.

A roof meant to be walked

The roof is the least expected part of the design. Outdoor staircases lead up to it, and it works as open ground with no fixed program. People can move between curved walls, changes in level and open areas as they please.

Person walks along a flat roof above a pool, lounge area, and pale exterior staircase.
A person walks along the accessible flat roof of a contemporary house in Portugal, above a swimming pool, outdoor lounge area, and pale exterior staircase.

Nothing on the roof is labeled for a single activity. The curves divide it into zones, and the height gives views across the pine forest. Visitors decide for themselves what the space is for.

Narrow staircase with pale stone steps and rounded white railings rising to a rooftop terrace.
A narrow outdoor staircase with pale stone-colored steps and rounded white metal railings leads up to a modern rooftop terrace beneath the open blue sky.

A large curved opening cuts through the roof above the living area. Looking down through it makes the relationship clear. The unusual roof shape connects directly to the pool courtyard and the separate wings below.

Sculptural rooftop terrace with curved built-in seating and open views over the surrounding pine forest.
A sculptural rooftop terrace with curved built-in seating, smooth pale surfaces, and open views across the surrounding pine forest in Portugal.

Curved forms can shape a roof as much as a floor plan, and a Mediterranean take on that idea appears in Casa Vereda’s Curved Rooflines Meet Mediterranean Tradition, which is worth a look for comparison.

Rooftop terrace with curved walls and an oval opening overlooking a pool courtyard and pines.
A modern rooftop terrace with sweeping curved walls and a large oval opening overlooking the swimming pool courtyard, outdoor shade canopy, and pine trees.

Planned for smaller groups in this house in Comporta

Inside, the layout also affects how the house is used. The main bedroom and shared living rooms sit apart from the four additional bedrooms. A small group can use the house without rattling around in it.

Bedroom with a low white bed, two lounge chairs, and corner windows facing pine trees.
A bright contemporary bedroom with a low white bed, two lounge chairs, floor-to-ceiling corner windows, and views of the surrounding pine trees.

Large sliding glass doors open the shared spaces onto the terraces. The living room, dining area and kitchen have clear sightlines and easy access to the outside. The pool courtyard works as an extension of the main gathering space, not a separate feature.

Open-plan living room with a fireplace partition, black woven chairs, and large windows onto terraces.
A contemporary open-plan living room with a pale fireplace partition, black woven lounge chairs, low coffee tables, and large windows connecting the interior to outdoor terraces.

House in Comporta makes a clear case that privacy can come from form. Rooms turned toward a shared courtyard, windows aimed past the neighbors and a roof open to walking give the house several ways to take in the same coastal pine landscape. The Alentejo coast does not need to be shut out to feel private. It just needs the right angle.

Photography is by Do Mal o Menos. Architecture is by Aurora Arquitectos. The architecture team was Sergio Antunes, Sofia Reis Couto, Carolina Rocha, Tania Sousa, Afonso Nunes, Kasia Cichecka, Claudia Silveira, Ana Bento, Raquel Sa, Rafael Goncalves, Joana Orencio, Ines Silva, Sara Saraiva, Vasco de Castro and Mariana Marques. Engineering was handled by SAFRE, OHMSOR and ECWS. Building supervision was by Gesconsult. Landscape architecture was by Topiaris. Decor was by SAARANHA&VASCONCELOS, and the metal sculpture was by Ines Norton.

A house in Comporta, Portugal, wraps around a private pool with curved roofline, pale walls, and pine trees
A contemporary house in Portugal wraps around a private swimming pool, with a curved roofline, pale exterior walls, sun loungers, and pine trees beyond the courtyard.

Source: contemporist.com

Frequently asked questions

Why does this Comporta house turn its rooms inward?

The house was designed to keep neighbors from looking straight into the property, since the site sits in a small residential development where nearby houses could easily see in. Its rooms are turned toward a central courtyard with the swimming pool.

How are the windows arranged to protect privacy in this house?

The windows were positioned and oriented so their views run out to the pine forest rather than into the house next door. This lets the house look outward at the landscape while staying private.

Which architecture firm designed the Carvalhal house in Comporta?

The house was designed by Aurora Arquitectos. It is a coastal home in Carvalhal on the Alentejo coast of Portugal.

How is the bedroom layout arranged for small groups using the house?

The main bedroom and shared living rooms are located apart from the four additional bedrooms. This arrangement lets a small group use the house without feeling lost in it.

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