This project consists in an interior renovation of an ancillary dwelling at Quinta da Pedra Firme, in Colares, Sintra. A first visit showed a rather old interior space, with a low ceiling height and small-sized rooms, as well as signs of previous conversions that, throughout the years, have erased the identity of the house. The exterior was preserved, in line with the surrounding buildings" aesthetic. With this in mind, the external walls and roof were used as a &"shell&" and became the starting point of this renovation, forming the limits of the interior space without touching it.
The splitting of the two floors was recreated with a wooden mezzanine which, without touching the exterior façade, distributes the ceiling height of the ground and first floors in a more balanced manner. This strategy allows light to enter the space through different points, therefore enriching it. The ground floor consists of a sociable open space, containing the living room and kitchen, and making contact with the exterior through multiple openings. The first floor, of a more private character and consequently with less lighting and contact with the exterior, contains the bedroom and the bathroom, the only enclosed room in the house.
