The Casa da Lavand’eira, a rural tourism venture, is an eighteenth-century manor house situated within a farm featuring vineyards and a lush forest. The main house is a granite-built manor with a chapel, a hall, various rooms, a kitchen with a traditional fireplace, and bedrooms. Throughout the property, other buildings have been adapted to serve as accommodations.

The farm is bordered by the Ovil River, offering the opportunity to experience a charming, designated hiking trail (Ovil River, its legends, and mills). Along this trail, visitors can enjoy the natural landscape, cross wooden walkways, and observe the flora, fauna, and architectural heritage (mills and traditional residences) that characterize this region.

The idea to convert the farm originated from a dream of the owner and quickly this family dream turned into the reality that is now Casa da Lavand’eira, a tourist venture based on an integrated project that includes tourist accommodation, event hosting, wine production, and a unique connection with nature.

The exploration of the estate by FCC arquitectura aims to (re) tell the story of the property, promoting a reconnection with the genuine, with the land, and the traditions of the region, while preserving the biodiversity, stories, and memories that the space offers.

The intervention strategy is based on the natural and scenic heritage of the property and Baião: flora and fauna, the Ovil River, the vineyard landscape, regional gastronomy, and wine. The owner of the estate started producing their own wine a few years ago and has been expanding the vine cultivation for this purpose. The intention is to establish this product as a characteristic element of the venture, anticipating the exploration of this theme in various aspects, and facilitating direct interaction with the cultural and scenic heritage.

The intervention plans involved refurbishing the old buildings scattered across the estate and constructing new spaces. In addition to expanding the accommodation units, a service hub will be established (restaurant, bar, spa, and outdoor pool), along with areas designated for staff and provisions for necessary parking. The project also encompasses an organic garden aimed at supplying the restaurant’s kitchen.

These leisure buildings, wooden cells, are part of the territory they connect with the natural environment. The Wooden Brandas (sustainable construction), with shaped curve, that defines them, it is possible to experience different environments, through the relationship between the interior and the exterior of the volume, surrounded by nature.

At the western top of the plot delimited by the Ovil River, in an area favored for sunlight exposure and excellent landscape views, the new accommodation units will be placed. These units will be distributed in contemporary-styled bungalows whose architectural language reflects this modernity.

The entire project was conceived sustainably, striving to optimize construction to minimize its environmental impact on the surroundings. Situated on a 7.3-hectare property, the project has already been recognized by the Municipal Council and Tourism of Portugal as having significant public interest.