More than just a rehabilitation project, the apartment in Rua da Lapa was the perfect opportunity to reinstate this property’s noble beauty, previously hidden due to its advanced debilitated state.
Winner
Urban Design & Architecture Design Awards 2020
Uma Casa na Lapa
Housing Interior Built
Firm
Rita Valadao – Arquitectura & Design de Interiores, Lda
Architect/Designer
Rita Valadao
Design Team
Rita Valadão
Location
Portugal
Country
Portugal
Photographer/Copyright
©Ricardo Oliveira Alves – Photography and film Studio
With our initial approach of adding value to this unique space, the atelier sought to organise and adapt the apartment to its owners lifestyle and particular needs.
The starting point was to make the most use of its floor to ceiling features throughout the whole apartment. Without compromising the apartment’s intrinsic history nor a puristic revival approach, a permanent tribute was made to its orthogonal lines, creating tall consecutive frames that match the wall’s colour, accentuating its floor to ceiling features with doors made of a singular walnut plane.
The entrance hall takes us by surprise, with grey tones of fluid form that organise living, reading and dining areas, punctuated with pastel tones. A succession of windows occupy the totality of the main wall, with privileged views over Lisbon’s rooftops and river front.
The curvy furniture lines meander through the living room, slowly guiding our view to authors design furniture and unique pieces made specifically for this project by Michael Biberstein, Bela Silva, Bruno Castro Santos and Vik Muniz.
On the walls, the selected artworks embed rhythm towards the back wall, where a marble and walnut sideboard and a golden mirror almost fill the entirety of the frame. The mirror reflects the light of the imposing chandelier, standing above the round marble dining table. With its dotted small lights on a black open net, the chandelier pours light onto the marble table and its organic volume is the ex-libris of this space.
The private area of the apartment was projected with some constrains as one of the existing rooms had to give way to the walk-in closet and the junior suite had to be adapted to its new infra-structure.
A more intimate environment was created along the corridor that leads to the private area, lined by walnut doors. Through it we can access the office, social bathroom and guest room, as well as the master and junior suites.
The last room presented us with the greatest challenge, having to adapt a functional space for sleeping, working and storing to a sinuous plane. The creation of a small hall leading to the closet allows for a more homogenous spatial distribution, while it also hides the access to the suites’ bathroom. These changes helped to maintain the functional clarity and balance with the natural charm and sophistication of the apartment.
The design of the master suite was the perfect opportunity to further explore these concepts. With the mirrored glass finish of the tall wardrobe doors, the view of the room multiplies itself from the inside out, only interrupted by the headboard’s circular structure made of wood and straw.
The use of warmer materials is evident in the walk-in closet, giving this space a boudoir appearance. Completely coated in grey wood tones, it provides a delicate open structure for storage, with built-in lighting completed with a chandelier of organic lines, making this the most intimate and feminine room of the whole project.
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