An 18th-Century Portuguese Home Morphs Into a Series of Colorful Apartments
Each unit is layered with a mix of eye-catching details, including patterned mosaics and a moody mermaid painting on the bathroom ceiling.
The dusty-pink facade of the Rose Building provides very few hints about the eclectic charms that await inside. For Sérgio Antunes, cofounder of Lisbon-based Aurora Arquitectos, this juxtaposition provided a fascinating starting point for the renovation of the 18th-century structure, which is located in Vila Real de Santo António, a city in Portugal’s southern Algarve region.
Do Mal o Menos
Do Mal o Menos
Do Mal o Menos
The Rose Building’s distinctive—and downright clever—original elements "gave it personality and character," Antunes says. "It was this diversity that we wanted to take advantage of," he explains about the renovation, which the team at Aurora Arquitectos completed in collaboration with Lisbon-based architecture studio, FURO.
Do Mal o Menos
Do Mal o Menos
What was once a single-family residence now comprises five different apartments, all of which are defined by distinct palettes that bring together dreamy, chromatic combinations. In one unit, for example, deep-coral furnishings pop against a backdrop of sky-blue walls.
Do Mal o Menos
Do Mal o Menos
Do Mal o Menos
A dusty-pink facade is only a hint of what’s inside this 18th-century structure. For Sérgio Antunes, cofounder of Lisbon-based Aurora Arquitectos, the charming exterior and its rich pigment provided a fascinating starting point for the renovation of the Rose Building—a single-family residence in southern Portugal that his team turned into five glowing apartments in collaboration with Lisbon architecture studio FURO. Throughout are huge swaths of color with unique touches: For example, painted on the ceiling of the central stair is a moody mural of a woman in the style of a fresco, and in one of the unit’s bathrooms, more ceiling artwork depicts a mermaid emerging from a swirl of waves. Elsewhere, arched windows, sloped ceilings, ornate moldings, and wooden doors elegantly play off Portuguese marble and patterned ceramic tiles. With the go-ahead from the city, the architects were also able to construct a modern addition at the rear—The Mustard Building—that pairs natural wood partitions with the subdued tones of creamy terrazzo.
Do Mal o Menos
Inspired by "the characteristics of each original area of the building," the teams tried to create a dialogue with the pre-existing architecture—"sometimes by continuity, other times by contrast," says Antunes, who notes how challenging it was to work with the original infrastructure.
Shop the Look
Blu Dot Li'l Something Side Table
Adorn your favorite space with the Li'l Something Side Table from Blu Dot. Expressing a clean silhouette perfect for a range of home decors, this side table features a powder-coated steel base with an engineered wood top. A simple yet functional design, this table is just the right size to complement your room arrangement. With a hefty cubby for storage, a plethora of home objects can be stored, such as remote controls or to-read magazines.
ShopThe Citizenry Rassi Round Jute Rug
Bring home the effortless “California casual” look with this natural jute rug. Hand-braided with all natural, durable jute fiber, this rug warms up any space with its subtle, organic texture. Each rug is braided by hand by master artisans in Bhadohi, India. From start-to-finish, this piece is made in a fair trade environment. Photo Courtesy of The Citizenry
ShopDo Mal o Menos
Do Mal o Menos
Throughout each living space, rich details are abundant. A moody portrait of a woman crowns the winding central staircase, and in one bathroom, another ceiling artwork depicts a mermaid emerging from swirling waves.
Lisbon firm Aurora Arquitectos and local studio FURO collaborated on the renovation of an 18th-century structure in Vila Real de Santo António, a city in Portugal’s southern Algarve region.
Do Mal o Menos
Do Mal o Menos
Do Mal o Menos
What was once a single-family residence now comprises five different apartments, all of which are defined by distinct palettes that bring together dreamy, chromatic combinations with colorful ceramic tiles, ceiling artwork, and contrasting furnishings and painted walls.
Do Mal o Menos
Arched windows, sloped ceilings, ornate moldings, and wooden doors elegantly play off of the patterned ceramic tiles that adorn various spaces, as well as Portuguese marble and limestone.
Do Mal o Menos
Do Mal o Menos
Capitalizing on a city code that allowed the architects to construct a modern addition, the teams unveiled an all-new structure, the Mustard Building, at the back of the site. Capped with a swimming pool and terrace, the Mustard Building’s interiors flaunt more subdued tones that blend cream terrazzo with wood partitions, which are painted in a pink gradient to honor the Rose Building’s past.
Do Mal o Menos
Related Reading:
A Rehabbed Stone House in Portugal Sports a New Steel Annex
A Renovated Apartment in an 18th-Century Sicilian Building Pays Homage to the Sea
Project Credits:
Architect of Record: Aurora Arquitectos / @auroraarquitectos and FURO / @furo_architecturestudio
Builder/General Contractor: Francisco Rodrigues, Cervimat
Engineering Consultants: Iperplano
Photography: Do Mal o Menos / @domalomenos
Published
Last Updated