The history of the region of Comporta is intimately linked to the history of the Herdade da Comporta ("Estate of Comporta" in English), a massive agricultural estate formally constituted in 1836, with origins in the 12th century, which originally consisted of the majority of the land and villages in the modern region of Comporta, made up of the coastal areas of the Alcácer do Sal and Grândola municipalities.[9][10] The area has traditionally been home to salt works, fishing communities, and rice fields.
In 1991, after more than 150 years of operating as a purely agricultural estate, famous for its rice production, the Herdade da Comporta was reconstituted to develop its vast properties into an exclusive summer destination-oriented towards ultra high-net-worth individuals, centered on design and sustainability, while continuing to operate as an agricultural estate and as steward to the large swathes of protected natural land owned and managed by the Herdade.[9][10]
Following the collapse of the Banco Espírito Santo in 2014, courts ordered that the Espírito Santo family put the Herdade up for sale. In 2019, Paula Amorim, heiress to Portugal's largest fortune, concluded the purchase of the controlling share of the Herdade.[11]
Geography
Comporta is located on the northwestern coast of the Alentejo, about an hour south of Lisbon. The majority of land in the region is protected from development as a nature preserve,[2] while a significant portion is protected for traditional agricultural uses, such as rice fields and salt ponds. Restrictive development regulations were installed purposefully by the Herdade da Comporta and the municipal governments to both preserve the natural landscape of the region and ensure its exclusivity.
The region of Comporta is located within 3 freguesias (civil parishes) within the Alentejan municipalities of Alcácer do Sal and Grândola: Comporta, Carvalhal, and Melides. The following towns and villages are located within the region:
The development of the region by the Herdade da Comporta into a high-end destination in the 1990s, under the leadership of the Espírito Santobanking family,[2] intentionally sought to attract notable artists, designers, and celebrities to the area, with the aim of building an exclusive artistic community for the jet-set.[12] Notable artists and designers that reside in the region include fashion designer Christian Louboutin,[8] architect Philippe Starck,[6][8] painter Jason Martin,[6] and art curator Marc-Olivier Wahler,[8] among others.[3][13]
British painter Jason Martin established two art studios in Comporta in 2018, one in the village of Melides and the other in the middle of a natural reserve within the Herdade da Comporta.[15]
Comporta style
The Comporta style, sometimes known as "Hippie Chic",[6] is a local architectural and design style, developed by various architects and designers since the 1990s. The style is heavily influenced by traditional vernacular architecture of the Alentejo, ecological design, and regional arts and artisanry.[8][12] Typical motifs include thatched roofing, straw plaiting, and Arraiolos rugs.
^Cândida Santos Silva (19 August 2010). Diana de Cadaval: "Gosto que me chamem princesa" [Diana de Cadaval: "I Like it When They Call Me Princess"] (in Portuguese). Lisbon. Archived from the original on 26 October 2021. Retrieved 22 August 2020. {{cite book}}: |newspaper= ignored (help)CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)