Atelier Backlar wraps Portuguese clifftop house in recycled ocean plastic
Portuguese architecture studio Atelier Backlar has used recycled ocean plastic and locally sourced timber to create The Blue House within the ruins of a former whaler's tavern on São Miguel Island in the Azores.
Set on a clifftop overlooking the traditional whaling bay of Capelas, Atelier Backlar combined old and new elements for the deisgn, with original basalt stone walls enclosing a striking blue timber structure.
The studio worked with traditional basalt stone builders from a neighbouring town to carefully preserve the perimeter walls of the former whaler's tavern, which had been in ruins since the 1980s.
Within the old stone ruins, the studio constructed the house from prefabricated structural insulated panels (SIPs) using timber mostly sourced on the island.
"We chose to use a structurally insulated panel (SIP) timber system as we wanted wood to be the primary structural material due to its low embodied carbon and environmental performance," Atelier Backlar co-founder Jeremy Stewart Backlar told Dezeen.
"The timber panels were prefabricated off-site with a high degree of precision, meaning they could be shipped to the island and assembled in just 10 days," he explained.
"Beyond the speed and efficiency of the construction, the timber structure performs particularly well in the Azorean climate and seismic context."
The studio covered the facade, roof and external deck with blue cladding made from recycled ocean plastic.
According to the studio, sourcing recycled plastic at such a vast scale posed a significant challenge, with the recycling facility typically producing elements at the scale of furniture rather than architecture.
"Recycled ocean plastic is used within a circular strategy, transforming single-use waste into a protective material capable of resisting the demanding coastal conditions of the Azores, while adding narrative depth and textural character," explained Backlar.
"The blue facade merges with the tones of the sky and sea, establishing a subtle dialogue with the surrounding landscape while creating a contrasting balance against the rough basalt stone walls."
With the home's southern facade obstructed by a neighbouring property, windows and openings were positioned to draw natural light inside while framing views of the surrounding landscape and maintaining privacy from the street.
A low, wide window with an integrated timber seat below provides unobstructed views over the bay from the open-plan living space.
"This window draws inspiration from the whalers' lookout shelters once used to scan the horizon for whales, subtly connecting the house to the island's maritime history and vernacular architecture," described Backlar.
Atelier Backlar opted for a restrained material and colour palette throughout, with the interior designed to be a "serene, pared-back setting".
Most of the furniture was custom-made by the studio alongside local craftspeople, including the dining table, coffee tables, wooden benches and kitchen cabinetry.
"The wood furniture and built-in sofa play a central role in introducing warmth and softness to the interior, their rounded edges and honest, grounded materiality creating a sense of comfort, performance and tactile richness," Backlar said.
A concrete slab finished with microcement forms the downstairs floor and extends into a large built-in sofa that faces out towards the sea. Mounted on the wall behind is an antique harpoon used to hunt whales in Capelas Bay over a century ago.
"Its presence acknowledges the region's past, yet its meaning has been transformed: no longer an instrument of killing, the harpoon has been rendered inert and reflects a cultural shift away from exploiting whales to valuing and protecting them," Backlar described.
The open-plan living and dining space leads onto the kitchen, with its counters made from the same microcement used for the flooring and built-in sofa.
To allow morning sunlight to filter into the space, the upper section of the staircase leading up from the living room was designed to be as lightweight as possible and is comprised of six millimetre steel plates and supporting timber treads.
Upstairs, the home's three bedrooms are complete with wooden floors, pale walls and splashes of blue that echo the facade, alongside finishes designed to draw upon local craft traditions.
"Willow lampshades made by local artisans were produced using weaving techniques dating back to Jesuit craft traditions introduced in the 17th century," Backlar said.
"Acacia door handles reinterpret traditional Azorean wooden locking systems, historically developed due to the scarcity of steel on the islands."
Bathrooms are finished with pale, neutral walls and tiles and include custom-made towel hangers and wooden benches.
Other Portuguese houses recently featured on Dezeen include an industrial-themed home replacing a Porto car workshop and an "urban retreat" in Lisbon designed to feel like it's in the countryside.
The photography is by Francisco Noguerira.
The post Atelier Backlar wraps Portuguese clifftop house in recycled ocean plastic appeared first on Dezeen.
