MAST Eco-Friendly Hotel on Salt Production Site
Danish Maritime Architecture Studio (MAST) has announced an innovative hotel concept aimed at revitalizing an abandoned salt production area in Portugal by creating a cluster of stilt houses over the shallow lagoons. This area, nestled among Atlantic pine forests and rice paddies, has a rich history of salt production spanning at least three centuries.
Abandoned in the early 2000s, the site has since been reclaimed by saltbush and other halophytic vegetation. The channels and ponds throughout the 50-hectare site have become breeding grounds for brine shrimp, attracting flocks of flamingos and oystercatchers.
The project centers around timber stilt houses, small cabins inspired by the traditional fishermen’s huts and jetties found in Southern Portugal’s lagoons and rivers. These cabins will be accessible on foot via winding elevated walkways or by boat or kayak and will be prefabricated off-site from Portuguese cross-laminated timber (CLT) to minimize construction impact on the delicate landscape.
MAST’s vision also includes converting a dilapidated salt production building into a restaurant and spa and introducing new agricultural buildings inspired by traditional Portuguese wooden salt storage warehouses. These new agricultural buildings will support a section of the site that will resume artisanal salt production. This ancient process involves channeling saltwater through narrow channels, where it slowly evaporates in large ponds, leaving behind mineral-rich salt deposits.
A public wooden walkway will encircle the site, linking the different buildings and preserving a large section as a wildlife refuge. This walkway will connect to a network of public trails and feature a spiraling birdwatching tower with views across the wetlands and coast.
Marshall Blecher of MAST emphasizes the studio’s dedication to sustainable tourism development, stating that “the project adds much-needed accommodation to the area while having the lightest possible touch on the unique landscape.
Credits:
- The project was designed by Danish Maritime Artchitecture Studio MAST
- Visualisations by Slimstudio
