Vanguard begins building "Muda Reserve" houses

Vanguard Properties began construction on the first houses at the 'Muda Reserve' development (Grândola municipality), with a scheduled total investment of 200 million euros.

After completing infrastructure works, the start of this new phase was witnessed by the Mayor of Grândola, António Figueira Mendes, and Vanguard Properties CEO, José Cardoso Botelho.

Construction will begin immediately on the first eight 'Casas da Chaminé' houses, which reinterpret traditional Alentejo architecture, with special attention given to the chimney. These houses will be net zero carbon buildings (NZEB), with a structure made entirely from material produced by KŌZŌWOOD, a wood construction company in which Vanguard Properties has invested 30 million euros, part of its investment strategy in Portuguese industrial construction.

The construction of these houses also signals the start of the decentralised energy community that Vanguard Properties is developing with Greenvolt Communities for its Comporta projects - "Muda Reserve" and "Terras da Comporta" (Dunas and Torre) - which will be the largest in Europe.

Designed by the Saraiva+Associados architecture practice, these houses have a swimming pool and private garden. Boasting two floors, the residences range from three to five bedrooms, with areas covering between 180m² and 300m², on plots of 620m² to 1,125m². After these eight houses are built, which should take around 12 months, Vanguard Properties will begin the second construction phase, with over 80 houses designed by the AO-LX architecture firm in the pipeline. These will also be NZEB buildings.

‘Muda Reserve' will also have an artistic vein, with renowned architect Francis Keré (Pritzker prize, 2022) designing a chapel for the development, which will be open to the entire community. The project, which has a total area of over 350 ha, will also have green spaces and commerce extending over one hectare. There will be a dedicated area for sports and young people, with a playing field and a children's playground already built.

In the words of José Cardoso Botelho, CEO of Vanguard Properties, "with the start of construction on the first residential development, today, the Muda Reserve project begins to take shape, becoming part of an energetic community with structures built 100% out of top-quality wood. Combining green spaces, services and leisure, the development will bring domestic and foreign investment to the Grândola municipality, which will also be 'home' to a community chapel designed by the world-renowned architect, Francis Keré."