The proposal is part of an urban plot in the center of Santo Tirso, in the district of Porto. The project envisages changing the use of the former hostel to long-term rental apartments.

The intervention promotes as much as possible the heritage preservation of the building and provides for the expansion of the top floor, due to the need to introduce natural lighting in the new compartmentalization of spaces. The building retains a height of 12.95 m, as well as its facades, with the exception of the front of the patio facade above the eaves.

The building was over-divided in relation to its original organization by successive adjustments, especially over the years it operated as a hotel. The building is supported by 4 parallel stone walls, perpendicular to the west facade. If the present organization of the space, excessively fragmented, did not suit the current housing program (more suitable for a building of these characteristics), the main structural elements could not be ignored or tampered with.

The new organization made use of the disposition of these resistant elements to organize the new fractions. Some partition walls and weaker ones were demolished to expand the habitable areas.

The intervention promotes as much as possible the recovery or reconstitution of the original building systems, namely: stucco ceilings; partition walls; solid wood floors and enameled carpentry.

The new divisions are in plasterboard filled with rock wool panels. The exterior walls are insulated on the inside with expanded polystyrene and covered with plasterboard. Flooring and wall coverings in wet areas are made with pigmented water-repellent mortar – such as micro-cement.

Team:
Internal collaborators: arch. Hugo Araújo, arch. André Oliveira, arch. Sara Bitossi, arch. Gaia Ferraris, arch. João Quintas
Structures: GEPEC – eng. Afonso Serra Neves. 
Hydraulic: GEPEC – eng. Rossana Pereira.
Electricity, Telecommunications and Security: GPIC – eng. Alexandre Martins 
Gas and Climatization: GET – eng. Raúl Bessa Lima, eng. André Raposo

Material Used:
1. Flooring: Wood, Sampaio & Conceição, LDA
2. Windows: Wood, Guilhotina, Gercima
3. Interior lighting: Metal, Fermaluce Metallo 90° Glam Metal, Creative-Cables
4. Interior furniture: Enameled wood, Carpintaria Martins & Martins, LDA
5. Kitchen cabinets: Enameled wood, ORDEP MOBILIÁRIO