In Portugal, a house in ruins has received a facelift. Without losing its DNA, it is magnified by an ingenious extension supposed to increase its living space. Calibrated to the millimeter by the Floret Arquitectura agency, the latter plays on shapes and materials to be part of the continuity of the old construction.
In Porto, on the road that goes from Golgota to Massarelos, in the region of Caminhos do Romântico, the Portuguese agency Floret Arquitectura signs a beautiful extension with a wooden, concrete and glass frame, allowing to considerably optimize the surface of an old building, while improving the comfort and quality of life of its residents. Ocher in color, the house regains its former glory thanks to the meticulous work of the architects who have come to terms with the constraints of the site and worked in accordance with town planning rules. Located in an area where bourgeois residences and working-class houses rub shoulders, it now reflects a subtle balance between tradition and modernity. Splendidly combining textures and materials, it skillfully confronts the traditional aspect of the old structure with a very refined contemporary architecture. Enveloped in a dense green setting, with the Douro River as a backdrop, the four-storey building originally stood on land that spans three east-facing terraces. However, given the small size of the premises, it was agreed to enlarge the house by introducing two new elements: a volume with living areas and a swimming pool. Perpendicular to the pre-existing dwelling, the added entity, carried out towards its lower floor, consists of two levels extending to the east, with esplanades, paths and living environments. A metamorphosis that leaves your mouth open.
