Retiro da Costiña: a circular journey between nature and architecture

Architecture and Permaculture, sounds strange?

Permaculture, born in the 1970s, is a system of agricultural design principles based on the patterns and characteristics of natural ecosystems. The term permaculture comes from the combination of the English words permanent and culture, indicating sustainable and enduring agricultural processes. Agriculture not only shapes our landscapes but also has a profound impact on our societies. In the Retiro da Costiña project, this connection is evident in the organization of temporary stay modules on the land, in harmony with permaculture principles.

The landscape of Santa Comba

The project is located in Santa Comba, a municipality in the inland of Galicia, characterized by a flat relief and gentle undulations. Here, vast pastures for livestock mix with the monoculture of eucalyptus, which almost entirely surrounds the perimeter of the land.

The first instinctive action taken was to create a small perimeter green wall, marking a division between two parallel realities. Outside the green wall, the landscape remains static, with the eucalyptus trees not changing color throughout the seasons. Inside, however, the Galicia of changing colors is celebrated, with deciduous native trees, flowers, and vegetable gardens. Gramática Arquitectónica, the design studio that has curated, among other architecture projects, also this one, found itself facing an interesting challenge, that of designing considering agricultural cultivation.

A circular and organic design

Within the terrain, the organization follows a circular pattern. Circles of different sizes create endless paths, through which visitors can explore and learn about the cultivation processes of the products that will be served at Retiro da Costiña. The focus is not on straight lines, but on the gentleness and stories that unfold inside and outside each circle.

The architecture of the living modules

The buildings of the Retiro da Costiña project are based on a dual premise. On one hand, each building has a static element at its base: a stone staircase that does not touch the building, resembling a barn or the stairs of a spaceship on Earth. On the other hand, the modules reach towards the sky, resting on the ground but leaving space for wind and soil organisms.

Minimal Interaction with the Ground

By lifting the modules off the ground, interference with the natural flow of the terrain is reduced, which has a gentle slope with views of the valley. The modules are reduced to two slabs, or floors, which evoke both the shapes of ancient castro dwellings and the dreamed futurism.

The lower slab provides a flat plateau that internally houses a room with a bedroom, bathroom, a small office, and a living room. Externally, it creates a terrace where one can sit among the flowers. The upper slab serves as a cover for rain and sun, creating a large circular porch. This slab also functions as a garden roof, contributing to returning greenery to the ground and supporting small pollinating insects.

Continuous Facades and Materiality

Building facades are continuous, drawable with a single pencil stroke, and feature large vertical openings that strengthen the space between interior and exterior. The materiality is characterized by the use of off-white, in harmony with the traditional constructions of the area. This off-white is only interrupted by dark brown carpentry, creating a contrast between the background color and that of the doors and windows.

A Welcoming Environment

The goal is to create harmony between exterior and interior, with floors and ceilings maintaining the same texture and tone. The furnishings and interior walls, on the other hand, introduce variations of color and texture, generating a warm and welcoming interior space.