In Portugal, this renovation project by Tiago Sousa reconciles existing built fabric with the qualities of contemporary living.
The existing volume is similar to the typical Minho house, rigid in shape and rudely built but intimately related to the site where it is located, a type of unsophisticated but charming rural ‘plaza’. To the existing condition, the architects have added a new and contemporary volume to balance the tension between the existing and the proposed form. Colour, materialization, and shape result in a purposeful distinction between ‘old and new.’
The interior programme is that of a single-family home. The home is developed over two levels with social spaces on the lower floor, and two bedrooms and a bathroom on the upper floor.
On the lower floor, the kitchen, dining and living room are organized from north to south in sequence. Space is organized by a central enclosed storage volume, which protects the kitchen’s works area. The central stair, a sculptural piece in concrete and wood, presents itself as an ornamental element, with a fluid and curvilinear design.
The upper floor is divided into two bedrooms and a bathroom. Both rooms are symmetrical, with the same dimensions, respecting the symmetry of the overall plan.
The simplified interiors are finished with natural wood cladding on walls and doors. This results in uniform and abstract surfaces. Even the frame and handles of the doors are unnoticeable in this cladding.
Without any expansion to the original footprint, the program space flows from inside to outside through a wide glass surface with a horizontal concrete element that also controls the intensity of sunlight.
