Estalagem Da Ponta Do Sol, Potugal

Confident in its simplicity and conceding to what mother nature offers, this stark white getaway by architect Tiago Oliveira is all straight edges but still conforms to the slate outcroppings high above the village of Ponta do Sol.

The raw magnificence of the cliff setting demanded that the hotel layer itself in sections down a slope terraced by thick stone walls. Given the overwhelming view, the challenge was to establish a sequence of eye-catchers and wind barriers that create points of interest all over the grounds. In the end several circuits were created – some through a covered bridge, others on the ground – which intersect or even join up at certain points. The hotel’s flat surfaces and many angles create stark shadows that seem to carve the entire space as well.

Aiming to highlight the natural surrounding beauty, Portuguese interior designer Carvalho Araújo painted rooms’ walls white and chose minimalist furnishings in light wood. Floors of black stone are strewn with grey rugs and classic black-and-white photography on the walls further emphasises the monochrome look. Sitting on its very own perch, the rectangular, box-like shape of the restaurant rises the level of originality even further. Other than the choice of sterling silver cutlery and table accessories placed on bare white linens, it is completely stripped of any superfluous pretty décor in order to emphasise the stunning view across the coastline of Madeira, extensive banana plantations and the nearby village – through the floor-to-ceiling windows, which are merely framed by the sides of the box.