On an exceptionally narrow plot in Porto, a residential building combines eleven apartments within a compact volume, using a central stair core, varied duplex configurations and a concrete façade articulated by large arches and planted balconies.

Boavista 339 in Porto by Paulo Merlini architects is a 650m² residential building completed in 2023 on Rua de Agramonte. Developed on a plot of only 88m², with a 5.50m frontage and a rear elevation narrowing to just 2.00m, the project responds to an unusually constrained urban condition through a compact organization of studio and one-bedroom apartments.

Rather than treating the irregular site as a limitation to be concealed, the design uses its proportions to determine the building’s circulation, apartment typologies and relationship with natural light. A central stair core frees both façades, while a varied arrangement of apartments on one and two levels makes more efficient use of the available floor area.

 

A central core on a narrow urban plot

The stairwell is positioned at the centre of the building, following a distribution principle associated with Porto’s narrow urban plots.

Placing circulation away from the perimeter releases the front and rear façades for openings and allows daylight to reach deeper into the apartments. At the same time, it reduces the amount of space required for external corridors and maximizes the usable residential area.

This compact organization makes it possible to accommodate eleven independent units within the building while maintaining a range of different internal configurations.

A small commercial space occupies the ground floor and is extended by a patio towards the rear, introducing an additional programme without compromising the residential organization above.

 

Apartments on one and two levels

The restricted dimensions of the site lead to a more complex sectional organization rather than a repeated standard floor.

Apartments on one and two levels are combined throughout the upper part of the building, allowing the architects to adapt the available volume to different domestic layouts.

Although the individual units vary, their constituent elements are standardized where possible. This approach reconciles spatial diversity with construction efficiency, creating different apartment types without requiring each to be treated as a completely independent system.

The variation in section becomes particularly important on a site where horizontal expansion is severely limited. The building therefore develops its residential density through vertical connections and overlapping configurations.

 

Concrete arches open the façades

Given the limited dimensions of the apartments, both elevations are opened as much as possible to increase the perception of space and access to natural light.

Large concrete arches connect the openings and give the façade its principal architectural expression. Rather than appearing as isolated windows, the openings are visually linked into a continuous composition that emphasizes the vertical development of the building.

The curved geometry also softens the otherwise compact concrete elevation. According to the architects, the arch was selected not only as a compositional device but also for its relationship to the scale and movement of the human body.

On the main façade, the arches frame access to shallow balconies measuring approximately 0.60m in depth, recalling a recurring feature of Porto’s residential architecture.

 

Privacy behind planted balconies

The extensive openings required an additional layer of privacy between the apartments and the street.

Planters approximately 0.80m high are positioned along the façade to interrupt direct sightlines from public space. Vegetation consequently becomes part of the architectural composition rather than a secondary decorative addition.

The planted edge establishes distance between the interior and the street while preserving daylight and outward views. It also introduces a softer element against the exposed concrete, reinforcing the depth of the façade and the intermediate character of the balconies.

The frontage is therefore composed through several layers: the interior, the glazed openings, the planted edge, the concrete arches and, finally, the street.

 

Reinterpreting Porto’s residential typology

Despite its distinctive façade, Boavista 339 develops from familiar principles of Porto’s urban housing.

The narrow plot, centrally positioned circulation, shallow balconies and vertically organized apartments are reworked within a contemporary concrete structure. The project does not reproduce a historical façade, but adapts established local patterns of occupation and circulation to a constrained contemporary residential programme.

Paulo Merlini architects use the peculiar geometry of the site to generate a dense but varied building, where eleven units coexist within a highly restricted footprint.

The result is defined by the relationship between efficiency and architectural identity: a compact internal organization is combined with an open façade whose arches, vegetation and balconies mediate between the apartments and the city.

An 1893 house in Lisbon’s former industrial district of Marvila is renovated and extended through a sequence of large spatial cuts, raw interior finishes and an ultramarine-blue lime plaster that unifies old and new.

Blue House in Lisbon by extrastudio is the first of three residences developed by the practice under the title casas poveras. Conceived during a period of uncertainty, the series explores an architecture reduced to essential means without compromising spatial generosity. In Blue House, this approach produces a 251m² residence where the existing building, new extension and materials are brought together without concealing their irregularities or traces of construction.

The house stands in Marvila, an area of Lisbon shaped by successive transformations from agricultural land to an industrial district and, more recently, to a concentration of studios and cultural spaces. Rather than erase the modest character of the original house, extrastudio treats it as a record of everyday occupation and uses its existing fabric as the basis for the intervention.

 

Preserving the 1893 house

The project renovates and extends a single-storey residence dating from 1893 while retaining its existing structure.

Architectural elements removed from the original façades were restored and reincorporated into the new elevations. Existing and added surfaces receive the same finish, avoiding a conventional visual distinction between restoration and extension.

The different periods remain legible instead through changes in silhouette and material texture. The intervention consequently preserves the old building without treating it as an untouchable historical object. Its imperfections become part of the character of the new house.

 

Two large spatial cuts

Two principal operations define the new spatial organization.

Towards the street, a cut extending across the full width of the building creates a double-height courtyard. This void provides shade and greater privacy for the bedrooms while establishing an intermediate space between the domestic interior and the street.

On the opposite side, a triple-height interior volume opens towards the garden and reveals the full vertical dimension of the extension. The two voids establish contrasting conditions: a protected courtyard facing the city and a large interior volume directed towards the more private garden.

The rear façade is further interrupted by a vertical strip of light. Generated by a planning constraint that cuts diagonally across one corner of the building, the opening was incorporated into the architectural composition rather than concealed. For a short period towards the end of the day, sunlight penetrates through the narrow cut and moves across the interior.

 

Garage and living space as one environment

The clients introduced an unusual requirement into the domestic programme: the garage had to form part of the living area.

Cars and motorbikes could therefore be worked on without separating this activity from everyday family life. Rather than concealing the garage behind a secondary enclosure, the design accommodates it within the generous, loft-like spatial character requested for the house.

This combination challenges the conventional separation between technical and domestic areas. The scale of the main interior allows different activities to coexist within one continuous environment, turning the garage into part of the inhabited space rather than an ancillary room.

 

Materials decided on site

Once the basic architectural concept had been established, decisions concerning colour, finishes and textures were intentionally left open during the design process.

Many were resolved directly on site in collaboration with the craftsmen and clients. Construction therefore became part of the design process, with individual techniques, tests and material decisions remaining visible in the completed building.

The method gives the residence a deliberately tactile character. Surfaces do not attempt to achieve a standardized level of finish; differences in texture and workmanship are retained as evidence of how the house was made.

 

Aluminium and unfinished grey plaster

The entire ground floor is covered with aluminium sheeting, manually brushed by one of the craftsmen.

The resulting surface is soft and luminous, contrasting with the rougher treatment of the walls. Internally, these are left largely unfinished and covered only with a grey plaster scratch coat discovered during construction.

The economical finish creates continuity between different elements of the interior while introducing a material reference to Marvila’s industrial past. Rather than adding another decorative layer, the grey surface retains the direct character of the construction beneath it.

 

Ultramarine blue as a continuous layer

The defining exterior colour originates from the existing building.

Ultramarine blue is applied as a pigmented lime plaster over the complete volume, visually bringing together the original house and its extension. Because of the instability of the pigment, each façade had to be completed in a single day without visible seams or subsequent repairs.

The method makes variation inherent to the finished surface. Colour becomes both a unifying element and a record of the construction process.

Rather than emphasizing the difference between old and new, the blue creates a more ambiguous reading of the building. Its silhouette and textures reveal the intervention, while the continuous finish gives the house the appearance of a single object.

 

Construction as part of the architecture

Blue House is shaped by the coexistence of preservation, extension and decisions made during construction.

The original structure remains present, while large spatial cuts redefine its relationship with street, garden and natural light. Aluminium, unfinished grey plaster and pigmented lime render create contrasting surfaces whose character depends as much on workmanship as on specification.

Through this approach, extrastudio avoids a strict separation between historical fabric and contemporary intervention. Old and new are brought together by colour and construction while remaining distinguishable through form, texture and the accumulated traces of the existing building.

Prefabricated Concrete as Architectural Identity

In Chave, Arouca, Portugal, G–5 Houses by Summary is conceived as a fully prefabricated reinforced-concrete residential complex. Modular panels form all major building elements, including façades, roofs and interior partitions, allowing construction to be streamlined while giving the development a clear architectural identity.

Rather than treating prefabrication only as a technical method, the project uses it as the basis for spatial organization, material expression and construction logic. The repetition and typification of components produce a building that is direct, legible and strongly defined by its system.

Five Dwellings, One Shared Order

The complex contains five dwellings: three two-storey units and two single-storey units. On the ground floor, the houses share a regular rectangular plan, with each unit benefiting from two free façades.

Above this base, three independent volumes are positioned irregularly across the broad roof slab. The spaces between them become outdoor terraces, accessed through an external staircase on the eastern side of the building. From there, the terraces open views toward the Serra da Freita.

 

 

Direct Access and Reduced Circulation

Each dwelling has its own street entrance, leading first to a sheltered exterior area. From this threshold, the main door opens directly into the living room, reducing circulation and eliminating the need for transitional spaces such as atriums.

The plan is organized with an emphasis on efficiency and direct use. The entrance sequence is brief, the living room becomes the distribution point, and the houses avoid unnecessary spatial hierarchy. This economy of movement reinforces the project’s broader logic of constructional clarity.

Modular Panels as Structure and Enclosure

Interior partitions are made from prefabricated concrete panels that function simultaneously as enclosure and structural bracing. This removes the need for additional masonry and makes concrete the dominant material both outside and inside the building.

The specific production process gives each panel one smooth face and one textured face. The design responds to this condition strategically: smooth surfaces are exposed wherever possible, while rough surfaces are concealed behind built-in elements, kitchen equipment or other fixed components.

 

 

Sunlight, Ventilation and Everyday Comfort

The east–west orientation of the dwellings supports natural cross-ventilation and sunlight. This allows the houses to maintain comfort without relying on mechanical cooling or ventilation systems.

Environmental performance is therefore approached through the simplest means: orientation, free façades, direct openings and the thermal mass of concrete. The result is a compact residential complex where construction system, spatial efficiency and passive comfort are closely aligned.

A Clear Constructional Logic

G–5 Houses demonstrates how prefabrication can produce more than speed and efficiency. Here, it gives shape to an entire architectural language, from the large-scale organization of the five dwellings to the tactile presence of concrete panels in the interiors.

Through its modular system, compact planning and terrace spaces overlooking the landscape, the project proposes a pragmatic but distinctive model of collective housing: rational in its construction, precise in its spatial organization and open to the surrounding territory.

Geometric Clarity and Landscape Integration

Located in Loulé, Portugal, PCG House by Visioarq Arquitectos is a residence that balances formal clarity, functional efficiency and a close relationship with the landscape. The design is structured through a refined volumetric composition, where distinct bodies are articulated with coherence and harmony.

The architectural language privileges pure and essential forms. Large glazed surfaces establish a direct dialogue between interior and exterior, allowing natural light to enter generously into the living areas and making the surrounding landscape part of everyday domestic life.

South-West Orientation and Natural Comfort

The social spaces are oriented to the south and west, playing a central role in the project’s strategy of openness. Generous windows frame the landscape while supporting natural cross-ventilation, an important factor for thermal comfort during the summer months.

Comfort and energy efficiency are therefore approached not only through technology, but through the careful calibration of orientation, siting and openings. The house uses its relationship with the sun, wind and topography as part of its environmental strategy.

 

 

Horizontality and Topography

The residence is anchored in a strong sense of horizontality. This gesture reduces the visual impact of the building on the terrain and strengthens its integration with the existing topography.

Each volume corresponds to a distinct function, yet the shared plasticity of the forms ensures unity and balance. Subtle projections and recesses in the façades create a changing interplay of light and shadow throughout the day, enriching both the spatial and sensory experience of the house.

Pool, Terraces and Outdoor Living

The relationship with the exterior is one of the defining principles of the project. To the south and west, an infinity pool extends toward the horizon, visually dissolving the boundary between architecture and landscape.

On the upper floor, the east-facing façade is set back from the ground floor, creating a sheltered terrace screened by a wall that ensures privacy from the adjacent street. To the west, shaded terraces with pergolas invite extended use of the outdoor living areas, reinforcing a way of inhabiting based on openness and proximity to nature.

 

 

Fluid Interiors and Everyday Flexibility

The interiors are fluid and interconnected, with seamless transitions toward the exterior spaces. This organization supports flexible use and reinforces the sense of continuity between the house, the terraces, the pool and the landscape.

The plan is shaped around everyday comfort, clear movement and the experience of natural light. Transparency does not function only as a formal device, but as a way of organizing domestic life around views, climate and exterior space.

Precision and Contextual Sensitivity

PCG House brings together geometric precision and contextual sensitivity. Its clarity of form, subtle integration into the landscape and capacity to provide environmental quality and comfort define a residence that is both visually controlled and deeply connected to the experience of living.

The project does not rely on excess. Instead, it uses proportion, orientation, light, shade and continuity with the outdoors to create a calm and efficient contemporary home.

A Museum Between Memory and New Identity

In Vila do Bispo, Portugal, Vila do Bispo Museum by spaceworkers is conceived as an intervention that preserves the identity of the place while giving the existing building a new civic role. The project works with the character of the original construction, not by erasing it, but by extending and clarifying its presence.

The design proposes the addition of a new volume to the existing structure, echoing the form of the adjacent naves. This gesture creates urban and formal continuity, while allowing the new addition to establish its own identity as the main entrance to the museum.

A Red Volume Completing the Existing Building

The new volume extends to the southern limit of the plot and accommodates the technical, administrative and social functions of the museum. By concentrating these uses in the addition, the project frees the inner core of the existing warehouses to receive the exhibition areas.

This redistribution of program allows the exhibition to become the central function of the intervention. The museum is therefore organized through a clear distinction between support spaces and public cultural space, while the new red volume gives the ensemble a recognizable presence.

 

 

Neutral Exterior, Black Interior

The two pre-existing naves, with approximately 680 sq.m. of covered area, are treated in a neutral grey tone. This chromatic strategy homogenizes the existing construction and reinforces its formal abstraction.

Inside, the same warehouse volume is lined in black, creating a controlled background for the exhibition. Against this dark interior, a dynamic organic form organizes the display route, creating thematic exhibition pockets and guiding visitors through the museum in a clear and intuitive way.

Red Exposed Concrete as Urban Marker

In contrast to the chromatic abstraction of the existing structure, the new volume is built in exposed concrete with red pigmentation. Its material presence turns it into a point of reference in the urban and aerial landscape, marking the territory with clarity.

The addition acts as a formal completion of the existing building. It recreates its geometry in a delicate way, through a balance of solids and voids that organizes entrances, areas of pause and the relationship with the surrounding landscape.

 

 

A Museum That Feels Already Familiar

The result is a museum that appears as if it has always belonged to the place. For older generations, it evokes the memory of the former granaries; for younger generations, it becomes the “red museum”, a new image in the collective memory of the community.

Through this balance between preservation and transformation, Vila do Bispo Museum establishes a dialogue between continuity and new identity. It is both a careful architectural intervention and a public landmark capable of anchoring itself in the everyday image of the town.

Varying context

Located in Ílhavo, Portugal, the project unfolds as a single-storey residence that seeks to reconcile the programmatic requirements with the specific characteristics of the site. The plot is situated within an area that currently remains undeveloped along its periphery, though it is expected to undergo significant residential growth in the near future. Within this transitional context, the residence attempts to establish from the outset a clear relationship between private living and the surrounding landscape.

 

Functional Organization

The decision to resolve the entire program on a single level transforms the outdoor space into an integral component of the architectural composition. The remaining green areas are not treated as residual space, but rather as active elements of everyday habitation and the overall spatial organization of the house.

The arrangement of the volumes gradually defines the spatial hierarchy of the residence. As movement progresses deeper into the site, the spaces acquire an increasing sense of privacy and seclusion. Architecture employs the positioning and geometry of the volumes as tools for organizing daily life, creating a clear transition from the more public to the more protected functions.

 

 

Design Philosophy

The architectural proposal is structured around two distinct volumes, differentiated both formally and functionally in response to the specific content of the program. These volumes are strategically positioned on the site in order to maximize solar exposure, establish controlled relationships with the surroundings and frame the outdoor spaces.

At the same time, the openings and incisions of the façades allow for controlled natural light while reinforcing the continuity between interior and exterior space. In this way, the residence develops a constant visual and functional extension toward the landscape, integrating greenery into the spatial experience of the interior.

 

 

Material Palette

The form and materiality of the project draw reference from the region’s traditional constructions, reinterpreting familiar architectural elements through a contemporary compositional language. Clean volumes, inclined surfaces and a restrained material palette compose an architecture that engages with the local building tradition without resorting to mimicry.

The use of zinc surfaces, natural timber and bright neutral materials throughout the interior reinforces the understated character of the residence, while simultaneously introducing durability and timelessness to the composition. Light is treated as a primary architectural tool, shaping interiors defined by calm atmospheres and subtle variations of illumination throughout the day.

The result is a residence articulated with clarity and economy of means, transforming the relationship between built and unbuilt space into the central core of the architectural experience.

 

Citadel Within the City

Set within the Matosinhos Sul Urbanization Plan by Álvaro Siza, the former Brandão & Companhia canning factory occupies a privileged position near the coastline, retaining a strong connection to the industrial past and maritime identity of the area. The intervention reinterprets this legacy through a mixed-use development that consolidates healthcare, commercial, office, and residential functions within a unified architectural system, restoring the original envelope and chimney while introducing a contemporary layer.

 

Urban Integration

The proposal addresses the fragmentation of the existing structure by re-establishing continuity within the urban fabric. While the original volumetry occupied almost the entire plot, the project introduces permeable and green voids that allow natural light and circulation to penetrate the block. These interstitial spaces generate visual and physical connections between programs, enhancing accessibility to upper levels and fostering interaction within a dense, multifunctional urban environment. The ground floor accommodates commercial and service functions, offices are positioned on the first level, and residential units are organized in elevated volumes.

 

 

Programmatic Organization

At the entrance to the residential areas, a reception space opens onto a patio that operates as the central node of circulation, linking communal zones and distributing movement across the complex. The spatial hierarchy is structured to balance privacy and collectivity, ensuring fluid transitions between different uses. The distribution of the building mass into distinct volumes creates a dynamic composition that responds both to the scale of the plot and to the surrounding urban context.

 

 

Material Palette

The architectural language is articulated through a juxtaposition of materials with varying densities, notably pigmented concrete and aluminum stretched mesh. This contrast reflects the dialogue between past and present, emphasizing both the solidity of the existing structure and the lightness of the newly inserted volumes. Suspended above the courtyard, these elements introduce a sense of elevation and permeability, with a material palette inspired by the proximity to the sea. The intervention ultimately establishes a balanced relationship with adjacent buildings and the public realm, contributing to the revitalization of the block and supporting a broader strategy of sustainable urban development.

 

Sinuous structure

The winery is part of a family-run wine tourism development in Portugal’s Alto Douro Wine Region, a UNESCO World Natural and Cultural Heritage Site. Together with a hotel still under construction, the winery blends into the landscape, combining tradition with innovation and sustainability.

 

Context Integration

Designed to minimize environmental impact, the project utilizes existing infrastructure while anticipating future adaptations. Its curvilinear architecture echoes the zigzag vineyards without compromising functionality. Locally sourced materials such as schist and granite reduce transport emissions, while wooden structures replace concrete where possible, limiting CO2 release. Over time, the pinkish greys, greens and browns take on new hues and textures, potentiating the building’s integration into the environment.

The configuration of the building is a set of interlocking naves that follow the existing topographic slopes, replicated on its internal mechanics, where the winemaking process takes place by gravity. The gravitational system is a traditional solution on the banks of the River Douro and this wine cellar showcases it with all its up to-date operational capabilities.

 

 

Design Philosophy

The geometry of the cellar’s roof interprets the vernacular gable roof structured in wood. This structure is exposed in the winery, and becomes a sinuous, continuous and organic sculptural element that flows through the tangential curves of the vineyards.

The winery’s main entrance houses a visitor center with a reception area and a wine shop that leads up to a meeting room with an all-glass wall and to the wine tasting area in a spacious balconied gallery, overlooking both the wine ageing area in the central nave of the building and the surrounding landscape. These rooms have access to the vineyard and a stone little old chapel, via a large terrace overlooking the Douro. Events that favor a prestigious wine tourism may be hosted to promote the winery and the region and celebrate both nature and architecture.

 

 

Sustainable Design & Vegetation

The development uses renewable energy sources, namely geothermal energy, to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to provide ideal hydrothermal conditions for wine production and human comfort. Energy efficiency is fundamental to the winery’s design. The building’s northerly orientation and its specific insulation ensure optimum indoor temperatures and humidity levels, with limited mechanical climate control. The few windows and skylights frame the landscape and maximize the use of natural light.

Water conservation is also integral to the winery, which lacked public water supply infrastructure. Rainwater is harvested, drinking water sourced from artesian boreholes, and wastewater is treated and recycled for irrigation, cleaning, and fire prevention. Permeable pathways return rainwater to agricultural use, reducing waste and preserving resources.

The landscape design revives native flora, enriching biodiversity and supporting ecosystems that benefit vineyard health and promote economic activities that run parallel to the wine production.

 

Spiral volume

The project was conceived as a contemporary office building that redefines the character of the Bonfim district. The project establishes a new urban presence while maintaining dialogue with the surrounding context, balancing modernity with continuity.

 

Spatial Organization

The building’s volumes are arranged to generate permeability and interaction with the city. A sequence of spaces, including internal courtyards and terraces, creates visual continuity and fosters a sense of community among occupants. Connections to public streets and open areas reinforce accessibility and integration with the urban fabric.

The layout accommodates flexible office spaces designed for adaptability to different user requirements. Ground-floor areas open toward the public realm, inviting interaction between the building and the city. Circulation cores are strategically positioned to optimize efficiency while maintaining clarity of orientation.

 

 

Material Palette & Sustainability

The façade combines stone and glass surfaces, ensuring durability and transparency. Natural light penetrates deep into interior spaces, reducing reliance on artificial illumination. Sustainability measures guided the selection of construction systems and finishes, integrating both performance and aesthetic goals. The project achieved BREEAM EXCELLENT certification for design and a VERY GOOD rating for construction, highlighting its environmental responsibility.

 

 

Context Integration

Situated in Porto’s Bonfim area, the project contributes to the regeneration of a historic district. The design enhances the urban landscape by creating a landmark that anchors the area while respecting its scale and character. The office building stands as a catalyst for contemporary workplace culture and sustainable urban growth.

 

Privacy matters

Situated on a plot commonly referred to in Portuguese as a terreno de gaveta -a narrow, elongated site nestled between neighboring buildings with limited street frontage- this residence occupies a 10 by 18-meter lot, totaling 180m2. Due to the compact size and proximity to adjacent structures, ensuring privacy from both the street and neighbors was a key challenge. The residence itself spans 184m2 of built area, with an additional 70m2 dedicated to the rooftop.

 

Design Philosophy

To address privacy concerns while capitalizing on the sweeping coastal views, the design inverts the conventional layout. Private spaces, including bedrooms and a home office, are located on the ground floor, oriented toward a central courtyard. In contrast, social areas are elevated to the upper floors, establishing both visual and functional separation from the public street.

At the heart of the home is the staircase, a central vertical element that connects all levels while enhancing visual permeability throughout. On the ground floor, it begins with a masonry volume clad in the same flooring used outside, featuring clay brick steps. As it ascends, the staircase transforms: vertical steel cables extend the full height, supporting floating steps anchored to the wall, creating a striking architectural feature.

 

 

Material Palette

The residence is constructed with a mix of concrete and steel, materials that recur throughout the design in details such as bathroom partitions and stair finishes. Drawing from modernist influences prominent in São Paulo architecture, the design emphasizes proportion, verticality, and a rhythmic composition of horizontal volumes. The exposed concrete ceilings are a highlight, meticulously crafted with formwork designed by the architects to achieve a refined texture. Every detail -from the placement of lighting fixtures to the integration of embedded systems- was carefully pre-planned. Curtain tracks, for example, were embedded in the concrete slab during the formwork stage.

Expansive aluminum and glass openings frame coastal views, flood the interior with natural light, and encourage cross-ventilation, enhancing energy efficiency and reducing the need for artificial lighting and cooling. This integration of indoor and outdoor elements is central to the architectural concept, dissolving the boundaries between the two. Exterior-grade materials were intentionally brought indoors, reinforcing this seamless transition and creating a cohesive living experience.

 

 

Spatial Organization

The upper-level social spaces extend outward through deep overhangs with integrated benches that double as guardrails, giving the living areas a sense of openness and continuity. The kitchen, designed as a social hub, centers around a large island that facilitates circulation and interaction during gatherings. Furnishings include existing family pieces and new elements in wood and rattan, contributing to a relaxed and understated ambiance. Storage solutions are discreetly built into the staircase zone, with custom panels that blend seamlessly into the architecture.

On the ground floor, the bedrooms are shielded with wooden panels that ensure complete blackout and privacy. These are complemented by an Accoya wood brise-soleil, whose acetylation treatment enhances moisture resistance and durability. A soft, neutral palette defines the bedroom interiors, creating a tranquil atmosphere. Bathrooms feature metal-framed doors with textured glass panels, adding both privacy and aesthetic depth. The office, extending from the main volume, benefits from continuous daylight via generous glass frames and a skylight that highlights the floor textures. Its cabinetry mirrors the surrounding finishes, with concealed panels that create a clean, uninterrupted surface. The central table, supported by a single leg and cantilevered at the base, adds to the room’s light, minimal character.

 

 

Sustainable Design

Designed with local climate conditions in mind, the residence is protected from the strong northern winds common in Northern Portugal. This allows the interior to remain open and airy, even on blustery days. The rooftop terrace features a built-in pool that is sheltered from the wind and opens onto a secluded green area bordering the beach. Strategic ventilation openings- one on the rooftop and another at ground level -facilitate rapid cross-ventilation, reducing the need for mechanical cooling. During the colder months, underfloor heating throughout most rooms ensures warmth and energy efficiency.

 

Green disguise

The residence is located in the historic centre of Ansião and is the result of the renovation of an old building. It emanates a contemporary feel that respects the memory of its historical context, while preserving the essence of the site.

 

Design Philosophy

The name “Casa Verde Gago” derives from the fusion of the name of the street where the building is located as well as the color primary chosen for the façade: green, which refers to the color palette of traditional Portuguese houses. Additionally, the presence of wood, a prominent element in the project, refers to the traditional layout of old Portuguese buildings. Its use aims to create a slight visual dissonance in the façade’s design, without however becoming disassociated from the immediate street aesthetic. This material is found both in the structure and in the interior details, giving the space an intimate and cozy feel.

 

Spatial Layout

Another essential aspect of the residence’s design is the patio. A space traditionally used as a wine cellar is transformed into an outdoor area with a water tank and minimal landscaping interventions, thus creating a more modern and social environment for its residents. The home is divided into two one-bedroom apartments, one in each floor, consisting of a bedroom, kitchen, living area, bathroom and, in some cases, an office and closet.

 

Material Palette

The choice of materials follows a natural, albeit minimal, aesthetic. Wood is used throughout the space, found in the roof, the window and door frames as well as the furniture. Exposed concrete is used for the floors, while district chrome accents and green fabrics break up the two primary materials, creating playful moments throughout the residence.

Expressive atmosphere

The project redefines the concept of fitness through an Avant-garde approach inspired by W. Kandinsky, becoming an expression of art, style and environmental commitment.

 

Design Influences

The gym’s design redefines the fitness experience, offering an environment where every detail is carefully planned to provide a unique journey to physical and mental well-being. Since it’s conception, the fundamental premise has been to design spaces that not only provide the best conditions for fitness, but also imbue an atmosphere characterized by the beauty of art, invoking other cultural areas that contribute significantly to the physical as well as mental well-being of its users.

 

Material Atmosphere

Art is placed at the center of the experience, becoming integrated to the space along with spatial comfort, environmental concern and social responsibility. Each space is carefully developed to provide an exclusive design, using ecological materials with environmental responsibility. The choice of decorative compositions is strategically curated so that each area becomes an integral part of the overall narrative of the space.

 

Color Palette & Lighting

The material selection carefully compliments the concept of the composition. More specifically, the ceiling’s reinforced concrete is exposed, contrasting the white walls and dark wood flooring. The changing rooms are clad with small whitewashed square tiles, while a series of colorful benches add playful accents to the space. Finally, an array of lighting fixtures in various geometric shapes illuminate the main gym areas.

White surfaces

The “Salt Color House” is located in front of the so-called Mira channel in Costa Nova do Prado, a unique landscape close to salt water, filled with ample vegetation.

 

Design Philosophy

The residence features the area’s “maritime nature”, becoming a home for the architect and his family and creating a space that is both functional and aesthetically compatible. The design intent was to create an intimate relationship between the interior and exterior. Consequently, an exterior patio creates a bridge with the south façade of the house, allowing ample natural light to enter the building.

 

Functional Layout

The interior is made of half floors and double-height spaces in order to minimize the risk of flooding in the basement as well as create a vertical dynamic throughout the residence. The living and dining areas are located on the upper floor, looking down to the estuary. Furthermore, the “social” space of the residence extends outside to the terrace on the roof. Finally, the bedroom and bathroom are located on the lower floors, in order to ensure a sufficient level of privacy.

 

Material Palette & Façade Design

The materials chosen for the construction were primarily ceramic tiles, wood, and aluminum. Shades of white dominate all the spaces, creating a light and airy atmosphere that carries through to the façade of the residence. Vertical, narrow panels painted in white are placed strategically across the exterior facades providing shading and creating a playful light interplay within the interior.

Modern tradition

The project is a single-family house located in a small Portuguese village in the south of the Lisbon Metropolitan Area. Its rural character embodied by low and traditional constructions is affected by out-of-scale buildings from the 1980s, informing the new design.

 

Architectural Form

The existing buildings guide the project, whose aim is to replace the original house with a contemporary residence strategically positioned within the area to avoid direct exposure to the immediate neighborhoods. The design follows the village’s architectural identity as well as the plot’s longitudinal shape, creating a simple, minimal building with a pitched roof.

 

Functional Organization

Programmatically, the project is divided in two clear zones: the service spaces -bathrooms, closets, circulation areas, kitchen- are located on the northern side of building, where the facades are composed of small openings to ensure privacy from the main road. To the south, the living room, office and bedrooms gradually open up towards the garden through a series of large windows, while the array of different ceiling heights, create different experiential moments within the space.

 

Material Palette

The materials and construction techniques follow the local traditions found in mediterranean villages. Hydraulic mosaic tiles and wood are used for the interior flooring, enhancing the natural light entering the building, while a divider made of stone is constructed in-between the street and the residence, unifying the complex and connecting the parking area to a vertical volume -a clear allusion to the original oven house.

Red Façade

The residence is located in a quiet, central street in the city of Aveiro, opposite a natural park filled with local tree species. The design follows the refurbishment and expansion of an abandoned Art Nouveau building constructed in the 20th century.

 

Façade Design

On the façade, an array of decorative elements carved in limestone are preserved, guiding the materiality and formal character of the intervention. More specifically, the new façade references the building’s original skin and is made of carved stone, creating a visual narrative between interior and exterior space as well as a vivid interplay between light and shadow.

 

Spatial Organization

The residence is comprised of four floors. The ground floor includes a series of communal spaces that foster social gatherings. The two upper floors include four en-suite bedrooms, while the basement houses a garage and workspace area. Finally, the building terrace offers stunning views of the city.

 

Colour Palette

Cross Laminated Timber painted in vivid dark red becomes the dominant exterior cladding element, contrasting with the simple off-white tones used for the interior. Finally, subtle black elements such as window frames and lighting fixtures are chosen as accent features within the space.

Interconnected Volumes

The residence is located in an isolated land, approximately 730m2 and part of a small rural cluster in the parish of Figueiró. At the center of the site resides a century-old Cork Oak tree, which becomes the most prominent element of the intervention.

 

Positioning and Orientation

The built volume of this single-family home is strategically situated in relation to the Cork Oak tree as well as the neighboring land, rocky roads, and the agricultural reserve. The surrounding landscape and sun path also play a crucial role in the house’s orientation.

 

Volumetric Design

The building’s main elevation is comprised of a solid wall and a rigid square volume that protrudes from the wall’s straight line, indicating the entrance. The lack of openings gives the interior complete privacy and closes the house off to the road. In contrast, the south elevation faces the surrounding landscape and opens to the garden. The upper volume -cladded with cork- cantilevers in relation to the ground floor volume -which is cladded with exposed, dark brick- forming a deck that spans across towards the majestic Cork Oak and at the same time acts as a roof for an outdoor seating area. On the other side of the house, the ground floor becomes double in height, forming an outdoor pool terrace and balconies for the bedrooms.

 

Functional Organization

The interior space is arranged as an open-plan layout and a central double-height volume around which the entrance hall, living room and kitchen are circulated. The ground floor includes all the necessary functions and amenities such as a pantry, a bathroom as well as a staircase that leads to the upper floor. The open, fluid design results to the seamless communication amongst the spaces, regardless of the floor they are located in.

Pure cantilevers

The design composition is a series of overlapping, pure forms carefully arranged to create a visual barrier between the house’s interior spaces and the street, while maximizing the residents’ privacy.

 

Morphological features

The house is made of natural materials in earthly tones. The first-floor volume is cantilevered, marking, and emphasizing the entrance and inviting visitors to transcend the solid, feature wall, which is interrupted by a gap that reveals the depth of the plot and the house. This morphological gesture reinforces the sense of impermeability.

 

Functional layout

When crossing the entrance, the house gradually reveals itself. Its interior spaces differ from the exterior, rigid shell, becoming open, social areas with well-defined programs that enhance social interaction. Large glass windows, extend this open-plan layout towards the exterior garden, taking advantage of its western orientation.

 

Creating privacy through forms

The master bedroom is located on the most private corner of the ground floor, maintaining access to an exterior space through a small patio. On the first floor, there are two en-suite bedrooms and an office, opening to two private patios. These exterior spaces cut through the uniform, tight volume, guaranteeing privacy as well as protecting the spaces from direct sunlight.

Casa Chouso is in Casal de S. Brás, a humble village which is part of Ansião, on a piece of land with a superb view over both the village and the hills of Sicó in Portugal.

The land presents great natural surroundings, overflowing with clusters of trees and rocks. Furthermore, it is bestowed with fragments of history that go back to old folk traditions: As the land was primarily used for animal pastures, a threshing floor that was used not only for threshing, but also for socializing, provided the concept for this project: “Chouso” means a fenced or closed area; hedge grown by shepherds to hold the cattle.

Taking advantage of the particularities of the land, Casa Chouso was built to be in tune with its surroundings and emerge from the enveloping nature. Thus, it was essential to come up with a project that would not only provide privacy from the nearby road, but also spaces that would allow the owners to fully enjoy the enveloping landscapes.

Therefore, the project conceptually develops from an L-shape, where the social and technical areas are delimited by a patio. This transitional area tunes into the pre-existing surroundings, in analogy to the threshing floor that is found on the land.

The plan layout that starts from this space, is set in two programmatic “wings”: To the east one finds the technical areas –barbecue and garage– and to the west, the social and private areas –study, bedrooms, living and dining area, kitchen, and pantry.

The interior design is based on genuine materials, mainly stone and wood, that give the spaces a modern and cosy character. All the elements used in the finishings were designed by the architects.