Photography: Alex Reyto
07 / 09 / 2022
Our childhood memories contain within them a unique load of dreams entangled with memories of lives within lives.
For Lopo and his partner Sarah, the materialisation of a desire long relegated to a drawer, yet nourished by many of these memories, as happens with so many of us, finally became reality, but not without an unprecedented amount of devotion. I’m talking about “The Other Side” project and the pair of private cabins that have been built among the lush flora of the southwest Alentejo, surrounded by wild nature on one of the shores of the reservoir of the Santa-Clara-a-Velha dam, in the borough of Odemira.
This paradise – which can only be reached by boat – came into being around 45 years ago, when Lopo’s parents bought the land and built the first cabin “for family holidays”, as he says. After being neglected for several years, although not forgotten, Lopo bought the surrounding land, with the aim of “creating something in this unique space”. The Covid-19 pandemic provided the missing motivation, and the couple threw themselves into the project, building a second cabin to complete the idyllic setting.
This paradise – which can only be reached by boat – came into being around 45 years ago, when Lopo’s parents bought the land and built the first cabin “for family holidays”, as he says. After being neglected for several years, although not forgotten, Lopo bought the surrounding land, with the aim of “creating something in this unique space”. The Covid-19 pandemic provided the missing motivation, and the couple threw themselves into the project, building a second cabin to complete the idyllic setting.
Natural materials, essentially wood, furniture built on site by the couple themselves, objects and antique pieces originating from some of the surrounding farms and a total commitment to sustainability are the cornerstones that sustain this project and fuel the desire for a permanent move to the countryside.
For more information, visit The Other Side website.
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