The Porto Seguro sleeping pods in Vale de Moses embody the safe retreat between the lush slopes of the valley, the place of relief from the quotidian. They provide physical and mental comfort to the visitors, by immersing them into the landscape and by nurturing them only through what nature provides. This is achieved by the use and reuse of local materials, sun, wind and rainwater.
There are four main elements that compose each pod, based on the primary components of a primordial hut defined by Gottfried Semper: ‘the hearth, the enclosure, the mound and the roof’. The hearth is reinterpreted as a multi-functional wall which is the engine and the core of the house. Thus, the hearth defines the surrounding inner space, but allows it to remain clear of any clutter. A modular timber frame envelope intimately encloses the space and its panels can be replaced depending on site positioning. A lightweight timber structure surrounds once more the enveloped space, it lifts it from the ground and it rises an overhanging sloped roof above.
The pod is conceived as a modular and adaptable structure that can adjust to any terrain and position on the site. Besides being efficient in terms of material use, the open columns vary in length to accommodate to the undulating slopes of the valley. Lightweight trusses and beams raise the pod at the desired level and connect with the columns in a demountable manner. Likewise, the PV panels are installed on a lightweight aluminium structure that can individually rotate based on the location of the pod to always collect as much daylight as possible.
3D section
spatial adaptability
The pod is conceived as a modular and adaptable structure that can adjust to any terrain and position on the site. Besides being efficient in terms of material use, the open columns vary in length to accommodate to the undulating slopes of the valley. Lightweight trusses and beams raise the pod at the desired level and connect with the columns in a demountable manner. Likewise, the PV panels are installed on a lightweight aluminium structure that can individually rotate based on the location of the pod to always collect as much daylight as possible.
The envelope of the pod is embedded within the exposed structural skeleton. Each façade consists of a prefab timber frame to which multiple types of prefab panels can be attached. Therefore, the envelope can be easily adapted to different site conditions by selecting transparent panels to catch views and diffuse light, and closed panels to block direct light. Finally, this type of building system reduces the construction time on site to only the assembly of all the parts.
The core is the motor of the design as it accommodates all the services, storage and every facility that is needed to have a comfortable stay at Vale de Moses. Therefore, when the wall is open, it uncovers a wide range of facilities and storage options while bringing a pop of colour. When the wall is closed, the whole inner space remains clear and connected with the landscape, providing an atmosphere of reverie. Opening the sanitary door in a perpendicular position allows to enlarge the whole bathroom area.
The core wall becomes a tool of organization that visually separates the space in functional zoning such as the entrance, the sanitary, the storage, the sleeping and leisure, and the terrace areas. Circulation is facilitated along the longitudinal axis which is perpendicular to the core. This axis is further accentuated by deeper timber frames for the entry and balcony doors. Although the shell is dimensioned within a grid of 1.2 meters to be able to adapt and expand, the core remains autonomous from it, with the scope of being seen as a single object in itself, and remaining as compact as possible.
Self-sustainability is achieved through the generation of renewable energy from solar panels that can heat and power-up the whole pod all year round with the help of a battery to store excess electricity. During hot summer months, the pod cools itself passively through cross ventilation created through the windows beneath the roof. Clerestory windows allow diffuse daylight to fill the inner space while closed panels absorb the intense direct sun light.
Rainwater pouring on the roof is directed via the drainage to the 800 L water tank, in order to store enough water for the dry and arid summer months. The water is then filtered and pumped to the sanitary area. Efficient usage of water is ensured with the help of a compost toilet and a closed loop shower, significantly reducing the pod’s demand for water. A modern compost toilet can ensure a safe waste management in remote, off grid sites as well. Besides this, most of the materials used are bio-based and can be sourced locally, such as pinewood and cork. However, it is important to ensure that the materials extracted are regenerated and that, upon the end of one pod’s life, its components are to be reused or recycled, and not disposed.