BARÃO DE FORRESTER HOUSES

Location
Porto - Portugal
Dimension
200 sqm
Completion Date
2019
Status
Completed
Coordination
Francisco Salgado Ré

A rehabilitation project of an XIX century house, converted into two apartments, in Porto, Portugal.

The project consists in the rehabilitation of a 19th century building in a state of ruin, converted into a three-storey dwelling with two apartments. From the pre-existence, the aim was to maintain and recover both facades, as well as the traditional structure of wooden beams. All the rest of the interior was designed in order to respond to the new programme and distribution, namely a one-bedroom flat on the ground floor and a two-storey flat on the first and second floor, also taking advantage of the roof space for a small open space.

The dwelling consists of an open-space on the first floor, freely combining the living, dining and kitchen areas, which benefit from the natural light coming from both opposite facades. On this floor, the technical and storage areas are hidden in a compact module, which also allows the hierarchization and characterization of space. The main bedroom is on the upper floor, where the bathroom is convertible, and can be private to the bedroom or shared with the house, by sliding doors/walls. On this floor there is also a bedroom/office, storage and a small leisure area using the interior surplus of the tilted roof. The two new fractions allow access to the garden at the back, where a long and narrow swimming pool was designed, taking advantage of the longitudinal dynamics of the garden.

The chromatic palette and the new materiality seek to associate traditional elements together with new solutions, in a spirit of classic timelessness combined with a contemporary design. Thus, the stone masonry elements that compose the facades were maintained and recovered, as well as the gable surfaces covered in slate with traditional pairing. For the remaining surfaces of the facade, was used a sober colour, in a greyish ochre tone, also taken to the interior walls and ceilings, as a form of coherent continuity between the exterior and the interior.

The floors are made in traditional wood flooring, with herringbone paving and high baseboards in white color, to create contrast with the walls, also preserving the memory of the past, but now with a clean design. The wooden window frames are totally new, allowing the achievement of best standards in thermal comfort, but replicating the design of the original window frames. These elements are in black color, as well as the metalworking, providing an elegant aesthetical language to the intervention and a contemporary spirit.


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