There are projects where everything falls perfectly into place — not by chance, but by affinity. Where the precision of the line meets the stillness of material, and light moves gently through time. This was the essence of the collaboration between Aires Mateus and Desenhabitado, in the design of the kitchen for the Malhadinha Nova hotel, in Albernoa, deep in the Alentejo countryside.
More than a place to cook, this is a space to breathe. A space where architectural intent flows naturally into every detail — where the bulthaup kitchen becomes a natural extension of that vision.
The project designed by Manuel Aires Mateus for Malhadinha Nova is a contemplative statement — a building that looks outward and inward at once. Immersed in rolling vineyards and olive groves, this hotel offers a form of living that is both simple and profound. The clean white volumes reflect the Alentejo sun with near-sacred softness. Inside, there is shadow, texture, silence.
In such a distilled composition, everything introduced into the space must be fully justified. That’s why the choice of a bulthaup kitchen was never just a functional decision — it was an architectural one.
By nature, bulthaup speaks the language of architecture. It does not seek attention — it seeks belonging. In Desenhabitado’s projects, bulthaup kitchens are never accessories, but rather fundamental gestures within the overall design.
At Malhadinha Nova, the kitchen sits quietly at the heart of the main house. It’s a light yet solid presence — almost sculptural. The materials — natural wood, brushed steel, stone — echo the very essence of the architectural palette. The lines are pure, the functions discreet. The kitchen is undeniably present, yet it doesn’t impose — it lives in complete harmony with the space.
The collaboration between Aires Mateus and Desenhabitado was rooted in a shared vision: to create spaces that are authentic, sensory, and subtly luxurious. The kitchen was designed not as a utilitarian zone, but as part of the home’s emotional and spatial flow — a place where cooking is as meaningful as pausing and observing.
Rather than simply delivering a product, Desenhabitado proposed a solution that respected the soul of the place, aligned with the architect’s language, and enhanced the lived experience — even if only for a few days.
In a world filled with noise, silence has become a rare kind of luxury. And the kitchen at Malhadinha Nova expresses exactly that: a place where time slows down, where the act of cooking becomes intuitive and meditative. The ergonomics are precise, the lighting gentle, and the presence of bulthaup blends seamlessly into the architecture.
It’s a space to be in, even without doing anything. A space where each movement — opening a drawer, placing a glass, preparing a simple dish — has its own quiet rhythm.
The Malhadinha Nova project by Aires Mateus is, in many ways, a poetic declaration on the meaning of inhabiting. And like all well-written poems, it leaves room for interpretation, for projection. The kitchen designed by Desenhabitado, with its bulthaup b1 system, reinforces this idea of sensitive hospitality — where luxury is not defined by opulence, but by stillness, honest materials, and understated sensory moments.
At Desenhabitado, we don’t believe in generic solutions. We believe in collaborations that make sense — emotionally and architecturally. Our work at Malhadinha Nova is a reflection of that: a kitchen that is not an afterthought, but an architectural presence, and a silent enabler of life and atmosphere.
