S. Vicente . conceptual memory

The area to intervene is in a building from the late 1940’s, located in the parish of S. Vicente, part of a homogeneous complex facing Largo Dr. Bernardino António
Gomes (Pai). The entrance occurs from the north side, at ground floor level, and the interior space develops to south and west at the level of a second floor, over the sunny
Pátio da Cova. The goal is to change the commercial function of the fraction to an apartment with two bedrooms.

Despite the historical interest of the building, the interior of the property lacks on identity and is inadequate for the function of housing. The intervention proposes the
removal of the existing divisions and the definition of an L-shaped layout, organizing the apartment on 3 fronts and creating a clear division between social and private
areas. The living room, dining room and kitchenette are located on the north side, developing in a continuous and articulated way. Here, the project benefits from the preexisting floor level difference to create dynamic inter-spatial relations, as well as from the replacement of the garage entry for a “winter garden”, an essential element for the
mediation of the proximity to the street. On the south / west side are the rooms, with a more reserved access, taking advantage of the whole potential of the balconies, now
reopened.

In terms of materiality, the intervention is characterized by a pragmatic approach that defines its own home identity. With a high and variable ceiling height, it was
decided to renew the walls in plaster or painted wood up to 2.30m, exposing in its upper part and ceiling the structural and raw character of the unwrapped pre-existence.
On the floor and other surfaces, local and traditional materials are used, such as limestone, hydraulic tiles, and wooden floors.

On the façades, the renewed window frames follow historical pre-existences, and the design of a new metal and glass window frame for the “winter garden” should be
highlighted.

In short, the intervention proposes a flexible and comprehensive strategy, creating conditions for redefining the character and spatial configuration of the existing space,
transforming it into a contemporary dwelling, sensitive to the historical context, and adjustable to different ways of living.