DISCOVER COLIVING AT THE COURT

Coliving might sound like it was dreamed up at a tech convention, but it’s existed around the world for millennia. It’s imprint on culture can be seen in the homegrown architecture of riads, minkas, haciendas, hamlets, longhouses and others. Courtyards like our own feature prominently. By carefully blending private areas and shared areas, these spaces allow people of different backgrounds or skill-sets to benefit from living and working alongside each other. The concept has endured, while digital tools have simply permitted it to evolve.

The Court of Cavalum has been carefully and deliberately renovated to suit the needs of a diverse and active community. Beyond the generous private spaces and studios, large shared facilities serve a long list of wants and needs.

Eating

  • A generous and inspiring shared cooking space. Designed for all cooking abilities from the novice to the pro. It’s quirky setting and huge array of appliances should spark those culinary synapses!

  • You’ll never go hungry with all these provisions. Fresh, seasonal and as local as it gets. For delicious recipes, you just need to go shopping in your imagination.

  • Share meals in grand style in a rustic 18th century banquet hall. Afterwards, unwind in comfort by the log fire or dance impishly on the table - that’s your own adventure to choose.

Marvellous Imagining

  • Explore the delicate craft of fermentation or gaze romantically at the rows of bottles. Fully operational wine making facilities.

  • Legends, Maps and Mysteries.

  • Giant movie screen, comfy furniture and tons of board games

Housekeeping

  • Communal washing machine and detergents, indoor and outdoor airing space, iron, steamer, {machine for repairs}. Optional extras: Dryer. Dry cleaning and preferred or specialist detergents.

  • Professional cleaning of common areas and shared kitchen duties

  • Resource sorting and upcycling to reduce waste.

Eating

Well-Stocked Pantry

Here you’ll find most of what you need to cook an honest meal. Regularly stocked with seasonal and local fruit and vegetables. Dried goods, spices, fresh herbs and cooking essentials. Delicious produce from the kitchen garden and orchard. Limitless house wine! If you need extra? Meat, alcohols and specialist foods are available from multiple local suppliers.

“Dear diary, It happened again. The sardines went. I thought they were my equal. It’s hard enough to see this many chickpeas pass through here, how can there be so many types of these tiny dried balls? They always go and even more come. Not to mention the seasonal veg, how many more seasons do I have to wait? Tomorrow. Tomorrow is my day” -The Capers

The Marketplace Kitchen

A generous and inspiring shared cooking space. Double oven, multi-hobbed stove, dishwasher and a huge array of appliances for baking, making perfect coffees, preserving and culinary snacking.

“This place is odd, it’s like... meant to be a kitchen?  But it's like... pretend outside or something. Is that a market stall? ... Also I don’t get it, usually I’m the most important guy in the room and here it's all about baking. The trashbins get more space than me!  Sorry ‘recycling and sorting centre’ Who cares? ’ -The people's microwave.

Great Hall

Here you’ll find a long dining table with a fire place in a rustic ambience.

“As they danced and spilled their wine I felt the joy of a heavy burden. Their songs bounced from one oak beam to the next and their laughter heated the fire. They gave it a furious roar. At least they had removed their bounteous meal and candlesticks before climbing on my back.” The Banquet Table.

MARVELLOUS IMAGINING

Library


Here you'll find over 2000 books, navigators maps, the house archives...


"Ok, I started with the books on the formation of the Portuguese church in a land of pagans. Then I got distracted by the maps of discovery, obviously. Those colours, so pretty, but they really thought China was connected to Brazil? Lol. But… could that mean it really is flat? There’s a book on ancient Templar magic somewhere in here. I just have to find it.” Charlie, the relentless conspiracist.

Winery

Traditional (and modern) winemaking facilities and methods to witness, or even use! Oak Barrels. Basket Presses. Steel vats. Stone foot stomping tanks and too much wine... 

“Like the blood pumping in your veins, sweet fluid circulates in these parts, feeding the beating heart of the house. Follow your nose to the sweetest nectar, bring a jug, turn the tap and let the juices flow! I’ll be there, keeping an eye for the last drop you may forget on your way out” - the eager fruit fly.

Lounge

Soft seating, rugs and pillows, an impressive collection of card and board games. Projector and screen, sound system. Shared work table.

Indoor garden


Monstera. Spider plant. Coffee bean plant. Money plant.
Get your green fingers on and pick up any plant to personalise your room or studio!

Gallery

Covered outdoor workspace with a view over the courtyard. No fear of missing out from this spot, between the rooms and the coliving space, you can keep a watchful eye on all the goings on...

Alibaba's


A collection of antiques and artifacts from Portugal and the world, feel free to pick up any items to personalise your room or studio!

Outdoor hangouts


Grab a couple deck chair or find a hammac, angle for the sunset, play garden games, perfect your archery, climb down to the waterfall...

Housekeeping

Washhouse

Communal laundry facilities including washing machine and detergents, indoor and outdoor airing spaces, iron and board, steamer. Optional extras: Dryer. Dry cleaning and preferred or specialist detergents. 



“It was during a dry spell that I found myself soured by the disappearance of warm sapphire ink all down inside my lace bertha. The heat too had caused a raw kind of perspiration which only exacerbated my ferocious yearning to be clean again. As if by providence, the young architect was at that moment in the crossing of the courtyard, his hair and eyes defiantly glistening under the dappled shades of the vine. With a firm hand he led me gently to the wash house wherein he introduced to me all manner of expurgating techniques and... powerful machinery… which he employed dutifully to rid me of my deep sully. He unveiled such knowledge and confidence in the art of cleansing that I felt compelled to stay and absorb all that his lithe hands would teach me. What can a modest woman do in this world without such a man, especially one who is so lavishly engaged in the soaking of delicates." Duchess Oberdoae, 1880.

General cleaning


Professional weekly cleaning of all shared spaces (cleaning of private roms optional extra). Daily Kitchen rota for daily grime and recycling to be shared by all courtmates. 



“COURT NOTICE: Shirking of duties will not be tolerated. Mess is a territorial hazard of an artist and can be accepted where it doesn't affect the wellbeing of others. Dirt and grime must always be cleaned immediately. Practice good hygiene. Look after your own and look after each other.” - The Authority of Common Decency 

Recycling and reuse

Rethinking of waste as a resource plays a foundational role in the creation of the court. As such we are always on a journey to find new uses for the unloved and unwanted. We invite you to share with us your imagination and energy in this process.

Discarded items are continually assessed and re-assessed for some hint of value. Many items are collected, stored and organised for reuse and upcycling projects.

Food waste, paper and cardboard go to make earth by composting. Most plastic and glass containers are cleaned and reused.

The shared pantry allows us to reduce our packaging waste by bulk buying from local suppliers.

We ask for your help in maintaining and improving this system.

"Here, living on the remnants of societies excesses we recreated our happiness." The Landfill Orchestra of Cateura, Paraguay.