Douro Valley Openness
Doure Valley Openness
While sipping a 40 years old tawny Port overlooking the bloomed vine hills an the endless reflection on the river surrounding it, i realized the place i was staying was offering a great opportunity to talk about the close correlation between taste- design- love.
The warmth feeling and the minimal approach of its interiors, were the perfect blend on that renowned Valley and its world class wine history.
It is at Douro 41 that these comforting sensations of clarity were evoked. It sits on the shore of the Douro river, which gives name to the famous Douro valley region in Portugal.
The first thing that caught my attention was its architecture, these series of stacking cantilever structure that gracefully protrude from the hill, creating a perfect inclusion with the surrounding landscape, made the building feel so natural, as if it was the result of a million years of tectonic activity. Even thou the facility has ten floors, its arrangement as terraces bring an incredible sense of openness, creating voids in between, allowing natural light into its confines without constriction.
Wandering around the building you may feel like a kid discovering new places, ending up in different areas, some could be a new overlooking terrace a cinema or a small library.
The facade of the reception building has been covered using local stones, following traditional architecture of the area, giving its characteristic brownish-chalky color, gracefully blending with the blooming lush of surrounding plants. The river that has been here for thousands of years, remain the constant landscape’s keeper, its generous water, that permeate the valley, make possible the production of the finest vines for the pleasure of us new inhabitant.
The Hotel, with Its 30 plus bedrooms overlooking Douro river, are the perfect retreat when you are not enjoying the rest of the facility. The layout is functional maximizing the astonishing view and the color palette creates that soft and warm atmosphere, possible thanks to its comfy and functional furniture, as well as the functional headboard console. On each room the view is enhanced by floor to ceiling glazing allowing a 180 degrees making outside nature the highlight of every stay, guaranteeing enough privacy as well, very important point :)
Such rich experience would’t be possible experience without the exquisite attention to details. From art pieces to local crafted clay pots as well as the unique breakfast display.
In the common areas new materials are added to create a more sophisticated atmosphere, an interesting discover was to see the utilization of Marcel Breuer’s chair, Thonet S 32 Cantilever, up lifting a notch the elegance of the space.
After visiting the Douro Valley it was clear to me the intrinsic correlation between these three key life experiences, TASTE, the exiting response of your senses to new flavors and fragrances. DESIGN, the enjoyment of visual end physical experience, LOVE, the whole that connect us.
Keep track of my journeys, more exiting discoveries around the corner.
The doors of perception are open to those who dare.