Architecture

Concrete retreat puts a pool in the roof and daylight down below

Concrete retreat puts a pool in the roof and daylight down below
Casa Trevo is situated in a forested area south of Lisbon, Portugal
Casa Trevo is situated in a forested area south of Lisbon, Portugal
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Casa Trevo is not a home that will appeal to everyone, with its use of rough, unfinished concrete
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Casa Trevo is not a home that will appeal to everyone, with its use of rough, unfinished concrete
Casa Trevo's ground floor features one bathroom, with another three upstairs
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Casa Trevo's ground floor features one bathroom, with another three upstairs
Casa Trevo measures 300 sq m (roughly 3,230 sq ft), spread over two floors
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Casa Trevo measures 300 sq m (roughly 3,230 sq ft), spread over two floors
Casa Trevo's interior is photographed unfurnished, accentuating its harsh concrete decor
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Casa Trevo's interior is photographed unfurnished, accentuating its harsh concrete decor
Casa Trevo includes two floors, plus a rooftop terrace area
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Casa Trevo includes two floors, plus a rooftop terrace area
Casa Trevo's three patio areas ensure light enters deep within the home, including the ground-floor bathroom, which includes two sinks, a toilet, and a shower
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Casa Trevo's three patio areas ensure light enters deep within the home, including the ground-floor bathroom, which includes two sinks, a toilet, and a shower
View of Casa Trevo's west patio area
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View of Casa Trevo's west patio area
Casa Trevo's rooftop pool can be reached by a ladder affixed to the exterior
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Casa Trevo's rooftop pool can be reached by a ladder affixed to the exterior
Casa Trevo features underfloor heating to keep toes toasty despite the cold-looking concrete
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Casa Trevo features underfloor heating to keep toes toasty despite the cold-looking concrete
Casa Trevo
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View of Casa Trevo's swimming pool
Casa Trevo features generous glazing throughout
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Casa Trevo features generous glazing throughout
Casa Trevo's rooftop terrace area can be reached from inside
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Casa Trevo's rooftop terrace area can be reached from inside
"The project sits in a forest of pine trees, rising tall above a sandy terrain," explains architect Double O Studio
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"The project sits in a forest of pine trees, rising tall above a sandy terrain," explains architect Double O Studio
View inside Casa Trevo's northern patio
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View inside Casa Trevo's northern patio
Casa Trevo
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Casa Trevo's design is inspired by the trefoil form
Casa Trevo is situated in a forested area south of Lisbon, Portugal
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Casa Trevo is situated in a forested area south of Lisbon, Portugal
View gallery - 16 images

This is not a home that will appeal to everyone with its use of rough, unfinished concrete, though those willing to embrace its distinctive looks will find an interesting and unusual dwelling. Situated in a forested area in Portugal, its roof has an integrated swimming pool and it features three outdoor patio areas that ensure sunlight permeates within its interior.

Casa Trevo (or Trefoil House) is named after the trefoil shape that its overall form takes and measures 300 sq m (roughly 3,230 sq ft), spread over two floors. Its concrete structure was cast on-site and the home was completed a few months ago.

"The project sits in a forest of pine trees, rising tall above a sandy terrain," explains Double O Studio. "Inside, the rooms are organized around three outdoor patios, circular in shape. They function as extensions of the interior spaces as well as being light wells and large openings for the living quarters below and sleeping rooms above. They also hold a beam of water, serving as a lap pool on the rooftop and whose underbelly is pressing down on the spaces below."

Casa Trevo features underfloor heating to keep toes toasty despite the cold-looking concrete
Casa Trevo features underfloor heating to keep toes toasty despite the cold-looking concrete

The interior, photographed before its owners moved in and without any soft furnishings or plants to take the edge off all that concrete, includes a dining room, living room, bathroom, and kitchen organized around a central light-filled atrium downstairs. There are three bedrooms upstairs, with a like number of bathrooms.

The rooftop area can be reached either via a wall-mounted ladder from outside or using an internal staircase and contains a terrace area and some solar panels, plus there's that all-important pool, which looks quite striking when illuminated at night.

We're awaiting confirmation of a project budget for this one.

We've covered some similar projects that also have a pool integrated into their roofs, including Casa Brutale and Casa B.

Source: Double O Studio

View gallery - 16 images
9 comments
9 comments
BlueOak
Yep, somebody spent a lot of money on a permanently cold, uninviting, sale-proof prison-dwelling. With a pool that cannot even be used to lounge about. Money doesn’t buy taste, nor good sense.
Username
The structural frame is great. I see no reason why the inside couldn't be finished properly. It has the potential of being a fantastic house.
Douglas Bennett Rogers
Kind of refreshing. A lot of people in this market would just build a "Batman" house.
Daishi
It would be like if a homeless person won the lotto but instead of buying a house they constructed a private bridge to live under. I feel like if they painted it they would detract from the homeless-chic aesthetic. The toilet that looks like it's in a hallway next to the big unobstructed window is a nice touch too. It's like as close as you can get to the experience of sh*tting outside in a bucket with the only real difference being that it flushes. You could throw some old blankets on top of a cardboard mat and it could be a trendy airbnb experience for kids willing to pay for that experience. I assume the 50 gallon barrel fireplace was just not pictured but I'm assuming it's there somewhere.
Brian M
Nice design concept, just terrible execution, unless you are in to WW2 German defence bunkers.
Rough concrete should never (never ever) be used as a finished surface unless its motorway bridge or a bunker!
pmshah
What kind of columns & beams are supporting the weight of the water? This design certainly would not work in any part of US as they only believe in building homes out of wood that is only nailed together and can easily burn down or get blown away in even a low strength storm or tornado !!!
ljaques
+1, BlueOak. Oogly concrete by design. Oy vay. Wait'll the parents see what happens to heads/arms/hips when they (or the kids) slip and hit the super hard floor or wall. Leave it to architects to embrace it. <sigh>
GregVoevodsky
I only wish the prison toilet came in stainless steal - https://www.grainger.com/product/49T886?gclid=CjwKCAjw5Kv7BRBSEiwAXGDElWgE2ShV9yqkqC2F7fU9jNQbfuGmQ2-p7INyUPjtiM8020k_ykGLFRoCfNUQAvD_BwE&cm_mmc=PPC:+Google+PLA&ef_id=CjwKCAjw5Kv7BRBSEiwAXGDElWgE2ShV9yqkqC2F7fU9jNQbfuGmQ2-p7INyUPjtiM8020k_ykGLFRoCfNUQAvD_BwE:G:s&s_kwcid=AL!2966!3!281698275765!!!g!472905489838!&gucid=N:N:PS:Paid:GGL:CSM-2295:3G7FAM:20500731
MarkGovers
I love it. Of course it will not burn, that brings a lot of peace of mind, the simplicity is also peaceful to me, a bit Zen-like. It could be painted any color or multiple colors, in different rooms etc. I'll take mine in white exterior, black interior. I would add a ton of plants to increase the O2 and ambience.