Camarim Arquitetos has recently unveiled its latest architectural endeavor, House No. 11, a stunning renovation project in Lisbon's Santa Isabel neighborhood. Such a housing jewel not only marks the historical site but also astonishes with its ornamental design, composed of green-tiled leafy patterns, a vital feature of the Portuguese construction technique. A careful combination of folk and modern elements meticulously crafts the exterior. For example, rooms with zinc coated with copper, dark green iron bars, ceramic tiles with engraved patterns, and terracotta tiles for roofs. As for the preserved and restored traditions, the campus designers especially paid attention to the design of the pottery lines.
Redefining House No. 11
House No. 11 occupies a unique position flanked by an industrial school and a cemetery, a setting that posed intriguing challenges to the architects at Camarim Arquitetos. Despite facing the threat of demolition by the Lisbon City Council in 1942, the building endured, embodying the collective housing ethos of the early 20th century. While the original structure boasted an ornate front facade, the side and rear facades served primarily utilitarian purposes.
(Photo: Nelson Garrido)
The new custodians of House No. 11 envisioned a complete metamorphosis, transforming the building into a private sanctuary. Embracing this vision, Camarim Arquitetos set out to infuse the structure with a sense of place, seamlessly integrating it into its surroundings. Responding to cues from the expanded street, the adjacent cemetery and private garden, and even the distant river, the architects devised a design that fosters a cohesive connection between the interior and exterior spaces, enriching the dwelling's experiential quality.
Achieving the envisioned transformation of House No. 11 necessitated a meticulous approach by Camarim Arquitetos. Along with the two edges of the house on the eastern and back facades, the demolition of the interiors had to be done with precision, enabling the overhaul of the design to suit the building's edges. Instigated by the first impression of the front part, the architects undertook' a compositional program' intended to refine the existing components and further improve them.
A hybrid design is a result. It tells a story of the 'time narrative,' meaning that it succeeds in the combination of preservation and innovation through a thorough confrontation. While the front facade is a testament to the structure's historical roots, the rear facade offers a contemporary interpretation, mirroring the interior layout structured around a central atrium characterized by dynamic height variations.
(Photo: Nelson Garrido)
Preserving Heritage, Crafting Futures
Restoration of the House n.º. by Camarim Arquitectos offers. This practice establishes its commitment to respecting architectural heritage and contemporaneity sensibilities through sustainable restoration efforts. The architects have done so artfully by reexplaining the history of this memorial and giving it a deeper meaning than its original intention. The time travelers have thus made it relevant to their contemporaries, driving it to become an icon of modern times. As House No. 11 manifests the Existence of Lisboa's architectural legacy, a mind-blowing lesson can be used as a reference for further preservation aspirations, creating a coherent mix-up of tradition and invention in the urban area.
