- Interior
- Architecture & development
This house in Caldas da Rainha, Portugal dates from the beginning of the twentieth century, but that does not mean that it cannot meet the living comfort requirements of most people today. In this renovation project, it was at the same time very important that the residents could still fully experience the original architecture. Both inside and out, the building exerts a fascinating appeal.
The renovation of House in Caldas was a collaboration between three different parties, namely Gonçalo Pacheco Arquitectos, architect Leonardo Marchesi and 3D artist Jorge Mendes. With a shared vision, they made the façade of the building serve as a geometric guide for the three floors and their layout. Remarkably, this is not one large residence, but several two-bedroom apartments. The main adjustments to the existing architecture, therefore, consisted of further developing the interconnections in some rooms, as well as modifying the kitchen. Parallel to the intention of doing as little demolition as possible, the dominant aim was to evoke a calm atmosphere that allows you to experience the space in an attentive way.
Calmness allows you to optimally experience the spaces.
The minimalist motivation that led to this result can be seen, in addition to the modest furnishings, in the neutral use of colour and the sparse but balanced details. In order to give the charm of the façade the right echo indoors, the team decided to use the same stone in the kitchen and bathroom. Such use of materials is, moreover, anything but unusual in Portugal. To complete the atmosphere, the corners of the ceilings are equipped with carefully planned lighting that creates the right shadows. In this way, the walls take on a dynamic appearance that allows them to complete the rooms in a peaceful manner. 
House in Caldas was transformed into a minimalist beauty that shows the original architecture from its best side. This collaboration turned out to be a successful project that undoubtedly calls for a sequel.
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Architecture by Leonardo Marchesi
Imagery courtesy of Jorge Mendes