Ecological Facade Drainage Installation — Condominium Ecosystem Retrofit in Alvor

• Year: 2024
• Location: Alvor, Algarve, Portugal.
• Status: Study, On hold
• Client / Promoter: Private
• Team / Collaborators: João Barroso (lead architect)

This project reimagines a conventional façade drainage task as an opportunity to regenerate the entire condominium ecosystem. Rather than treating rainwater management as a purely technical retrofit, the proposal integrates carefully designed drainage elements into the building envelope, establishes a planting strategy tailored to the local climate, and anticipates a scalable upgrade to the estate’s communal garden and rainwater capture infrastructure.

At the architectural level the solution prioritises discreet, robust drainage components that sit harmoniously within the façade, avoiding ad-hoc attachments and preserving the building’s visual unity. At the environmental level the design introduces indigenous, low-maintenance planting and passive cooling measures that reduce heat gain, increase biodiversity and enhance residents’ wellbeing. At the estate level the proposal outlines a phased strategy to repair chronic leaks, protect common gardens from water damage and create a connected rainwater collection and storage system that reduces potable water demand.

The outcome is a pragmatic, easily implementable intervention with ecological ambition: it solves the immediate drainage need while providing a coherent framework for future, larger-scale improvements that strengthen resilience, conserve water and improve quality of life for the whole community.