At Terracrua Design, we’re proud to announce the completion and delivery of the Vale Romeiras masterplan, a regenerative landscape design project for Natalia and Dmitrii’s 8.5-hectare property in Mosqueirões, Grândola. This project marks a significant milestone in transforming Vale Romeiras into a sustainable, vibrant farm that harmonizes community, ecological restoration, and sustainable tourism.

Project Vision: A Blend of Nature, Learning, and Community

The Vale Romeiras project is grounded in the owners inspiring vision: a space that nurtures both the land and community through rewilding, ecological regeneration, and family-friendly activities. Their plans include creating a forest-school-inspired children’s area, developing spaces for visiting families, and expanding eco-tourism and organic farming. This balanced approach serves to enhance biodiversity, support sustainable agriculture, and provide immersive nature experiences for visitors.

Project Phases: Designing for Ecological Health and Accessibility

Terracrua Design approached Vale Romeiras with a structured, two-part design plan to bring Natalia and Dmitrii’s goals to life. Each phase of “Masterplan II” was guided by both broad and specific ecological objectives, from landscape hydration to creating zones for community engagement and ecological growth.

Part 1: Water and Access Design

The first phase addressed foundational elements, focusing on the design of a resilient water and access framework across the property. Applying Keyline design principles, we developed a water matrix with planned dams, ponds, and canals to optimize rainwater capture and retention. This regenerative water system will help sustain the land through seasonal changes, improving soil hydration and supporting local vegetation.

Access routes were strategically placed to create ease of movement across the farm, with an infrastructure layout that minimizes ecological disruption while supporting planned areas for farming, family activities, and eco-tourism.

Part 2: Biodiversity and Community Integration

With the foundational water and access systems in place, the second phase of the masterplan expanded on specific zones for reforestation, farming, and family engagement. We developed a framework for permanent vegetation through ridge forests, riparian corridors, and green hedges to encourage biodiversity. The zoning matrix includes areas for small family houses, designed to accommodate visitors attending the children’s forest-school area.

Incorporating native plants and carefully selected species, the project creates an ecologically resilient environment while maintaining spaces for community engagement and educational activities.

Final Project Delivery: Comprehensive Resources for Implementation

With the design completed, we’ve provided our clients with all the resources needed to bring the Vale Romeiras masterplan to life. These documents, accessible through their dedicated Terracrua Design client folder, include:

  • Geopackage Project File: A layered GIS dataset that supports resource management across the property. Compatible with QGIS and ArcGIS, this file allows our clients to interactively explore the design’s various elements, from topography to water resources.
  • PDF Layouts: Detailed, large-format designs capturing the project’s water, access, and biodiversity frameworks, ready to guide the implementation phase.
  • Cost Estimate: A detailed budget outline covering materials, labor, and equipment, supporting efficient resource allocation throughout the project stages.
  • Timeline: A structured schedule mapping each phase of the project, providing an organized approach to implementation that ensures all elements are executed on time.

Looking Ahead

The Vale Romeiras project embodies Terracrua Design’s commitment to creating regenerative spaces that support both human and ecological health. With a clear masterplan in hand, the promoters can now embark on implementing a framework that will restore and enrich their property for years to come.

For Terracrua Design, it has been an incredible journey to help bring this vision to life, blending technical precision with ecological sensitivity. We look forward to supporting Natalia and Dmitrii through the initial stages of implementation and are excited to see Vale Romeiras grow into a regenerative, community-centered landscape.

For any additional insights or project inquiries, feel free to reach out. We remain dedicated to supporting every step of this remarkable journey toward sustainability and regeneration.

This project team:

Project Director: Nuno M. Santos

Designer: Miguel Madeira

Estimations and timeline: Miguel Madeira