VARANDAS DE SALGUEIROS
[PT] [EN]
This new building is located in the city of Porto, Portugal, in a residential area right outside of the city center. This construction stands out for its contemporary forms, whose distinct composition results from the morphology of the parcel, allowing for the exploration of shapes of fills and voids that create the divisions between balconies. To guarantee the harmony with its surroundings, and to balance its distinguishable design, the materials and colors of the building were chosen for its simplicity and sobriety, with the goal of diverting the observer’s attention to the formal dynamics created by its shape. At night, these forms can be enhanced by the carefully studied illumination that was intended to reinforce precisely the irregularities that characterize the facade.
Divided into six floors, this building is composed of seventeen apartments with two to three bedrooms typologies, either west or east-west oriented, with a view for Rua Aval de Baixo or the backyard. These apartments are characterized by their wide spaces designed for long-term living of small families. All of these apartments have their own private balconies. The distribution of the apartments is made though a central block that was conceived to maximize the interior space of the apartments, guaranteeing that circulation areas were functional and reduced to the minimum. In the underground floor one can find the private parking lot with 21 parking spaces. Although this space is found under the building, it is open to the backyard, allowing for its constant ventilation and the linking of the volume with the exterior area. The backyard is characterized by its steep topography, transformed into a slope divided into a set of levels that, although being a common area, allows for a more private use of its various exterior spaces by the building’s inhabitants. These are mainly green areas with surrounding vegetation.
Porto, Portugal
2023
Architecture/Coordination: Adriana Floret
Architecture Team: Renato Costa, Maria d’Orey, João Mimoso
Engeneering: R5 Engeneers
Construction: Tecnibuild
Photography: Ivo Tavares
