casa do bolama

Porto, 2016

as found

proposal

The existing home is  a 1940’s house in the outskirts of Porto’s center, with a beautiful enclosed garden in the back, highlighted by a camellia tree.

Built in 1947 and successively changed in 1959 and 1980, this house was found vacant in 2016, severely run down, as water had infiltrated and degraded the interior timber structure.

Faced with the task of refurbishing the house in six months, a pragmatic answer made of simple, assertive moves was the chosen course of action. All refurbishment had in mind the maintenance of the original structure: later additions facing the garden were removed; a slightly elevated terrace plateau took its place, extending the living and cooking area towards the garden; new infrastructure and reassigning of uses make sure that modern comfort standards are met.

1940’s imaginary is suggested by subtle details, such as the new ceilings, the waist high wood skirting, the kitchen island, and the Josef Frank wallpaper featured in the distribution core, delivering at the same time a strong sense of homely intimacy.