APARTAMENTOS VITÓRIA
[PT] [EN]
The building is located in a central area of Viseu, therefore situated on a street with a cohesive and consolidated urban fabric. Rua da Vitória is a central street, close to all services, the Town Hall, and the historic core. The proposal was based on the preservation of the pre-existing structure – a building from the early 20th century - emphasizing the architectural characteristics so intrinsic to a building of this nature and integrated into an urban environment. Recognition of its heritage and constructive value results in the preservation and restoration of different elements present in the construction, such as maintaining the tiles on the main facade and rehabilitating the granite elements. Although the intervention aimed at preserving and adapting the existing building to the new program, it was necessary to expand the building to ensure more space for the units.
The building's program continued the original collective housing program. Programmatically, the building consists of a commercial space on the ground floor and on the upper floors a three-bedroom apartment, a one-bedroom apartment, and eight studios, totaling ten units and one commercial space.
Due to the fire that the building suffered, its state of conservation was ruinous inside, with only the preservation of its main facade possible. The building's facade features tile accents, and the ground floor has a stone base. The window frames on the upper floors were made of wood, while those on the ground floor are made of iron. These characteristics shaped the development of the proposal, as efforts were made, whenever possible, to preserve or recover the building and its decorative elements.
Regarding the proposal, since the intervention was part of a building to be rehabilitated, its footprint was maintained, with an extension to the rear on the upper floors, and its roof redesigned, opting for a more contemporary design with zinc cladding, proposing the attic be used as space for the apartments, through the creation of mezzanines.
In conclusion, the original image of the building was rehabilitated, returning to the city a unique building, which gained new apartments inside, meeting the requirements of today's times.
Viseu, Portugal 2023
Architecture/Coordination - Adriana Floret
Architecture Team - Sara Inês Pires, Joana Cantante
Engineering - Cerne Projeto e Consultoria, Lda.
Construction - EMBEIRAL – Engenharia e construção S.A.
Photography - Ivo Tavares
