Italian architecture practice Atelier Matteo Arnone has completed a minimalist residential project called House for Two Musicians in the rural landscape of Quinta do Alamo near Lisbon, Portugal. The symmetrical home occupies the footprint of a former brick wine store that once served local vineyards, transforming an agricultural ruin into a contemporary living space. The clients, two professional DJs and music producers, requested two identical recording studios within the residence, which fundamentally shaped the design approach. Founder Matteo Arnone established his Parma-based studio in 2022, making this project an early statement of his design philosophy. The completed home demonstrates how strict functional requirements can generate elegant architectural solutions.

The design process began with the clients' straightforward brief: two functional spaces consisting of a living room and bedroom, plus two matching recording studios. This requirement immediately suggested a symmetrical layout that would give equal prominence to each resident's creative workspace. Arnone described the concept as "carving out" voids from the original volume, introducing internal patios to bring natural light and spatial depth to the building's core. The symmetrical strategy ensured that neither musician would feel their space was secondary, creating a sense of balance and equality throughout the home.

The two semi-circular recording studios occupy the heart of the home on the upper floor, positioned back-to-back on either side of a central square courtyard. Porthole windows allow the artists to overlook this internal patio while maintaining acoustic separation between the two workspaces. The curved forms project over the ground floor living areas, creating dramatic ceiling shapes that Arnone calls a "subtle curiosity" about the spaces above. The studios' blank walls were finished in pale plaster to match the interior palette, while their geometry echoes the curved walls of the patios at each end of the house.

The ground floor contains the main living room and bedroom at opposite ends of the rectangular plan, each opening onto private courtyards through full-height sliding glass doors. To the south, both rooms connect to a long, narrow pool with timber-decked terraces that step down to a raised garden overlooking the sloping vineyard landscape. A chunky perimeter wall wraps the entire structure, concealing bathrooms, staircase, kitchen counter, fireplace, and storage areas within its thickness. This integration of structure and function maintains the minimalist aesthetic while optimizing the organizational efficiency of the compact footprint.

Material choices emphasize simplicity and harmony with the Portuguese countryside. White plaster walls reflect sunlight and keep interior spaces cool during hot summers, while their stark appearance creates a sculptural presence among the surrounding vineyards. The minimalist approach extends to built-in furniture and concealed storage, ensuring that the two symmetrical spaces remain visually pure and uncluttered. This restraint allows the architecture itself to become the primary experience, with subtle variations in light and shadow providing visual interest throughout the day.

The House for Two Musicians represents a thoughtful response to the growing trend of creative professionals relocating to rural areas while maintaining urban careers. By providing identical, fully-equipped studios within a serene landscape setting, the design supports both collaborative and independent work patterns. The project's success demonstrates Atelier Matteo Arnone's ability to transform strict programmatic requirements into poetic architectural form. As remote work continues reshaping residential design, this Portuguese home offers a compelling model for how architecture can balance individual needs with shared living.