Silent Living

João Rodrigues, the founder of Silent Living, juxtaposes the excitement of new lands and experiences against the comfort of conventional home living. As a designer, he establishes Silent Living in his homeland of Portugal, offering guests a truly unique experience far away from their homes. Nestled amidst nature, Silent Living brings together different ways of life in small-scale units that are integrated with the surrounding silence.

From a small fisherman's hut on the banks of the Sado River to modern architectural designs in Monsaraz, Silent Living takes on various forms. The common thread among them is their existence in the midst of silence.

Working alongside architect Manuel Aires Mateus for each of these five different projects, Rodrigues blends contemporary and traditional elements to create a shared design language. Each project itself is as enchanting as a child's drawing of a home, simple yet captivating—a composition of four walls, large rectangular openings, and a sloping roof made of natural materials. The immersive experiential atmosphere is shaped by small details: the textures of the materials, the relationship between nature and colors, the direction and sound of the wind. According to Rodrigues, this complexity creates the challenge of defining the boundaries of silent living, as there is no distinct line that marks the beginning or end. It remains ambiguous.

Ultimately, the success of Silent Living stems from the integrity of these relationships. Emptiness, silence, and the unity of nature are the fundamental factors that shape the space. This unity transforms into a utopia that offers unique experiences through the architectural creations that are produced.

References:

https://studiofenice.ch/silent-living-joao-rodrigues-on-architecture-design-and-the-idea-of-home/