The Pestana Chicken Coop is a compact agricultural structure designed by Ricardo Leal in São Pedro do Sul, Portugal. Raised on slender timber columns, the coop provides a sheltered sleeping area, nesting boxes, and an outdoor run beneath opposing sloped roofs. The exposed frame is constructed from cryptomeria, or Japanese cedar, using bolted connections inspired by Walter Segal's timber building method, allowing individual components to be dismantled or replaced over time. The elevated design minimizes disturbance to the site's existing moss-covered landscape.
Hempcrete infill panels made from hemp and lime provide breathable enclosure walls with thermal mass to regulate interior conditions. The timber columns rest on small concrete footings and incorporate replaceable lower sections designed to be exchanged if weathering or decay occurs without affecting the primary structure. Corrugated bitumen-fibre roofing shelters both the enclosed coop and the nesting boxes used for egg collection.
Image Credit: Dinis Sottomayor
What Makes This Trend Stand Out
- Modular Poultry Architecture
- Replaceable timber components and bolted construction systems create potential for longer-lasting small-scale farm structures that can be repaired instead of discarded.
- Bio-based Farm Materials
- Hempcrete and timber combinations point to new agricultural building formats that balance animal comfort, carbon-conscious materials, and climate-responsive performance.
- Low-impact Livestock Design
- Elevated shelters that preserve sensitive ground conditions suggest fresh possibilities for farming infrastructure in ecologically delicate or uneven landscapes.
Sectors Adopting This
- Sustainable Construction
- Natural infill materials and disassemblable frames expand the market for regenerative building systems beyond homes and into functional agricultural shelters.
- Agricultural Equipment
- Compact coops with integrated nesting, roofing, and weather-resilient features indicate a shift toward premium, design-led products for small-scale poultry keepers.
- Timber Manufacturing
- Precision-cut cedar components and replaceable structural sections highlight demand for adaptable wood systems suited to rural, modular, and outdoor applications.
