Camaleão is a comprehensive residential masterplan in Castro Marim, composed of multiple residential buildings distributed along the plot. All buildings develop around terraced volumes adapted to a highly steep landscape. The project features all buildings with two above-ground levels with private patios, roof terraces, and plunge pools, as well as an underground floor for parking and technical areas. The architecture integrates local materials like coloured lime plaster and hand-made ceramic elements, combined with green roofs and native vegetation. Bioclimatic strategies include natural ventilation, shaded
Camaleão is a residential project in Castro Marim that draws inspiration from the Algarve’s vernacular architecture and natural landscape. Designed by Rebelo de Andrade Studio, the concept is rooted in adaptability, like the chameleon that gives the project its name. The architecture responds to the steep topography with terraced volumes, reducing visual impact and ensuring integration with the surrounding pine forest.
The project reinterprets local forms through contemporary language: simple, robust geometries, lime-plastered façades in earthy tones, and handcrafted ceramic details. Bioclimatic principles shape the building’s layout, with shaded patios, cross-ventilation, and rooftop plunge pools enhancing thermal comfort and energy efficiency. Each dwelling is designed as a self-contained unit with generous outdoor spaces, prioritising privacy, contact with nature, and a fluid relationship between interior and exterior. Green roofs and native vegetation reinforce the ecological sensitivity of the intervention. More than a housing development, Camaleão reflects a vision for a new Algarve: respectful of place, identity, and landscape, offering a contemporary way of living that is sustainable, discreet, and deeply rooted in local culture.
