From early owners at Bom Sucesso Resort, I received some amazing photos showing what this place looked like around 20 years ago. I thought it would be fun to share them with you — and for some of them, I’ve added pictures of what the same spots look like today.

At that time, only the sales pavilion had been built — maybe some of you visited back then, standing in the middle of all that dust, trying to imagine what would one day rise around you.

Portugal Modern Bom Sucesso 20 years ago flyer — Before the Modern Architecture Came: Bom Sucesso Resort in Its Raw Form 46

There was no Álvaro Siza, no David Chipperfield, no green fairways or paved streets. Just sand, rocks, trenches — and the vision to create “the largest living and permanent exhibition of private, contemporary architecture.”

Some of the architects who helped prepare the land told us it looked “like the surface of the moon.” Hard to imagine now, right? There weren’t many trees here either.

Since then, Bom Sucesso Resort has transformed its landscape by planting over 15,000 trees, including more than 2,000 ancient olive trees, some of which are over a thousand years old. Pines and other native species now define the character of the resort, making greenery a central part of everyday life. Remarkably, only seven percent of the 160-hectare site is occupied by new construction, preserving the natural setting that makes this place so unique.

A Dusty Beginning at Bom Sucesso Resort

When construction began in 2004–2005, Bom Sucesso Resort was nothing but rugged terrain. All roads were still raw paths. The lake near the Clubhouse was just a clay pit. Everything had to be built from scratch — including the entire network of streets, lakes, golf holes, and utility systems.

Bom Sucesso Resort archaeological work Image 10 — Before the Modern Architecture Came: Bom Sucesso Resort in Its Raw Form 47

Why an Archaeologist Was on Site at Bom Sucesso Resort

Because Bom Sucesso Resort borders the Óbidos Lagoon — a historically rich area — every trench had to be monitored by an archaeologist. Over two years of excavation, two small ceramic fragments were found.

– A yellow-glazed shard near what is now Golf Hole 4

– A green-painted fragment near Golf Hole 6

These were the only finds during two years of archaeological monitoring. No significant remains were discovered, but the team stayed alert — just in case the ground had more stories to tell.

How the Golf Courses at Bom Sucesso Resort Were Built

The stunning fairways we see today? They began with shallow irrigation ditches and deep earthworks. Golf holes were carefully carved into the landscape, with soil moved and reshaped meter by meter. Clay taken from on place helped form the base of lakes at another place. It was pure landscape engineering.

Bom Sucesso Resort archaeological work Image 23 — Before the Modern Architecture Came: Bom Sucesso Resort in Its Raw Form 48

Bom Sucesso Resort: Built Lot by Lot, Street by Street

Everything in the resort was shaped by hand and machine:

• Streets were leveled and widened

• Drainage and specialty networks were installed

• Slopes were adjusted to manage rainwater and irrigation

• And plots were carved out one by one, often in challenging conditions

5 Behind-the-Scenes Facts from the Early Days at Bom Sucesso Resort

1. Bom Sucesso was built with serious earthworks

Some areas were excavated up to 10 meters deep to level the terrain and prepare for construction. This wasn’t just landscaping — it was full-scale land reshaping. Imagine standing at street level today and knowing the earth below you was completely reworked by machines 20 years ago.

2. The lakes at Bom Sucesso are man-made and engineered from clay

Lakes were carefully carved into the landscape and built using local clay extracted from other areas of the Resort, to form the lake banks and seal the ground.

3. Some parts of the site at Bom Sucesso were so muddy, work had to stop

Rainy weather sometimes turned work sites into impassable mud zones, especially near Lake at Golf Hole 3 and the access road. The construction teams even had to pump out water in places and use gravel or sand just to move equipment.

4. Early infrastructure at Bom Sucesso was built before most houses existed

Even before homes were started, specialty networks like gas, electricity, water, and telecom lines were being laid underground. These systems were installed along raw, unpaved roads — long before the first villas were built.

5. There’s a heliport at Bom Sucesso — and it had to be blasted into shape

The area for the heliport, near the Tennis club, required blasting and leveling. The earth removed was repurposed for other parts of the resort.

Then and Now: The Evolution of Bom Sucesso Resort

Today, it’s hard to imagine Bom Sucesso Resort without its elegant homes, quiet streets, and mature landscaping. But these photos tell a different story — a story of effort, vision, and raw transformation.

Scroll through the gallery below to see the difference. For some early photo, I’ve added current image of what the same location looks like today. You might just recognize your street or backyard.

Bom Sucesso Resort Phase I Satellite Picture 20 Years Ago

Bom Sucesso Resort Phase archaeological work Satilite image small — Before the Modern Architecture Came: Bom Sucesso Resort in Its Raw Form 49

A high-resolution satellite image from that time is also available — you can download it here to explore Bom Sucesso Resort as it looked in the very beginning.