António Granjo

Fernando Guerra

• Architects

Located in Bonfim, Porto, the goal of the intervention was the recovery and conversion of a vacant lot that housed an old building materials factory into a mixed housing and services project, maintaining the memory of the original construction.

photo_credit Fernando Guerra — Fernando Guerra

The main pedestrian and road entrance is via Rua António Granjo. This street frontage contains the 16-apartment building for multi-family housing and a students' residence, of which the reception area is particularly notable. The continuation of the student residence unfolds in the interior of the block, distributed across the various volumes. The original aspects on the main façade facing Rua António Granjo have been maintained with the recovery and reproduction of constructive elements and details characteristic of the former industrial use.

The third floor, integrated in the roof, features a more contemporary language, marked by the use of zinc-covered mansards in the same colour as the external window frames. More than creating a contrast, this serves to highlight the complementarity and integration of all elements with each other and with their surroundings, while adding a contemporary feel. In addition to the patios, the size of the plot permitted the creation of an extensive common outdoor area, with paved areas and a lawn. Orange, beech and poplar trees already present on the site were retained for these exterior spaces, enhancing the greenery that is typical of Porto, while stone found on the site was likewise reused for the creation of interior walls in outdoor common areas.

The generous ceiling height of the old warehouses allowed for the creation of two floors of housing and the insertion of a further floor integrated into the roof. The introduction of open spaces allowed for the creation of courtyards, bringing natural light into the various dwellings and creating a feeling of neighbourhood among the people inhabiting the spaces. The profile of industrial roofs, so particular to industrial design, was maintained even within these open spaces. Despite its contrasting uses, the project was approached with a language that sought to unite pre-existing elements, reinforcing the identity of place. The industrial chimney was retained and recovered as an aesthetic element and a memory of the past, becoming central to the character of the space.