Designas Architects

The project involves the renovation of part of a residential building in the square of Sils Maria that was originally a farmhouse. The recesses corresponding to the corners of the original stableare still visible and the project has restored the memory of its upright planks with stripsof larch and masonry. The house was ‘gutted’ preserving the external walls, insulated on the outside with a coating of plaster, and the still visible roof structure.

The house is located on a piece of land in Ourém, characterized by its rectangular configuration, with a descending slope in the south direction (next to the public road). The difference in height between the highest point and the lowest point is approximately 4.50m. It is a farmland with a natural landscape, facing south and overlooking the Castle of Ourém.

The project is situated at the boarder of Soglios village center, close to grand historic buildings and small economy housings. These circumstances (This circumstance) made the proportionality a main issue of the planning stage. The delicate position of the building site and the extensive room program determined the concept. We choose a solution with two houses, connected only in the basement. The entrance, the photographer’s studio and the auxiliary-rooms are placed in the basement.