Casa Em Arruda dos Vinhos

A little hors sujet to fill in whilst awaiting the first 'charpente'. A little plug for a blog recommended to me by a Portugese architect whose current hobbies include target practice with a 'sarbacane' or blowpipe. This fact has no relevance to the subject of the blog in question but serves as a useful warning to anyone brave enough to venture out into the streets of the 20th 'arrondissement' of Paris. Beware, apparently, small darts tipped in a poison paste mixed from the sap of plane trees and dried pigeon shit are being used to great effect for culling the local Bobo population.
Casa Em Arruda dos Vinhos tells the story of house project situated in an idyllic wine growing region. In the words of the man who has commissioned the house, Rui Pedro Lérias;

This projects deals with the reconstruction of a small building in ruins in an area classified as green belt. The project uses the same materials of the ruined building (stone, earth and wood) but re-ordered: a wood structure filled with local earth (wattle and daub); the stone coming from the demolition will be used in the foundations and surrounding area.
Otherwise, the architects associated natural materials (wood, earth and cork panels) with industrial ones (concrete, metal, glass and polycarbonate).

The experimental configuration of traditional materials suggests adventurous architects and a courageous client. They are both to be applauded and encouraged. As for blowpipes - I will not be plugging the youtube video link. Small children might be reading.