This project involves the renovation of a 35 m² micro-apartment located in a traditional Lisbon ‘vila operária’ (workers' housing complex), focusing on adapting the original layout. Once a fragmented space divided into four tiny rooms, it has been reconfigured into a fluid one-bedroom apartment, complete with an open-plan kitchen and a 5 sqm terrace.

The design strategy is based on creating a continuous, open space, anchored by a central timber volume. This element acts as the primary organizer, defining both private and circulation areas while using its internal depth to house storage and utility functions. By removing the interior walls, we created an open living area that allows natural light to travel through the entire depth of the apartment. This spatial fluidity increases the sense of scale, giving the living area a calm, bright atmosphere.

Beyond the main living space, the project contains a secondary core for support functions. This area houses the bathroom and storage space, while also serving as the threshold to the small terrace.

Given the apartment's limited footprint, every element was scaled down to the strictly necessary, prioritizing open floor space. The intervention respects the memory and scale of the original typology, maintaining the intimate feel of a workers' house while adapting it to modern living requirements. Within this context, the renovation strengthens the visual and physical connection to the central courtyard, integrating domestic life with the everyday rhythm of this shared space.

The flooring solution defines a material contrast between the different programs: a multi-layered engineered timber floor covers the living and private areas, while a rubber finish provides a continuous, technical surface for the bathroom and storage areas.