Dá Licença by Vitor Borges
Description
Dá Licença is an almost monastic retreat in Portugal’s Alentejo region that’s set on a 300-acre former olive grove. The owners transformed it into an Arts and Crafts-influenced guesthouse that offers breathtaking views across the surrounding eco-reserve.
The existing structures were transformed into a modern retreat featuring clean lines and discrete volumes, without effacing the traditional character of the estate. Its rural environment and the region’s cultural values were sublimed into a sophisticated way of living. Elements of anthroposophical design and Scandinavian Jugendstil reinforce the perception of the elements’ organic beauty.
Vitor Borges has spent many years working in the arts and fashion industries, including several years at Hermès. For the last 20 years, Franck Laigneau ran an art gallery in Paris specialising in Scandinavian Jugendstil and anthroposophical design. Their combined backgrounds inspired the creation of Dá Licença and its evolution into the property seen today.
Photography by Francisco Nogueira
- by Matt Watts
