Apartment in Príncipe Real

How to counteract a Gaioleiro building?

The base building of this apartment is a Gaioleiro, a common typology in Lisboa between the mid-XIX century and the beginning of the XX. It´s characterized by long and narrow plots, poorly lit and ventilated spaces. We tried to counteract this condition by opening windows between spaces, promoting cross visions and letting the light-in.
Before adding a new layer to the spaces, a cleaning action was vital. Thus, the project’s first response consists in disclosing the ceiling behind the countertop, the original floor under the current one, pulling out layers upon layers of coating from the bathroom’s walls and opening a new balcony in the lightwell. In this way the entire apartment gains light, space and ceiling height.
The project’s scale then goes to greater detail. The program is redistributed with the rooms now occupying the front of the apartment, overlooking the trees in the garden, and the living room on the back, with a view over the river. The kitchen is expanded, enhancing its connection to the living room. A new bathroom, blended with the closet, is created. New wardrobes are added. The connections to the long corridor are redesigned and the bedrooms’ areas are balanced.
Int his way the dialogue between the addictions and the existing, between the old times’ needs and the contemporary desires, the ancient and the current building techniques is consolidated.