Architecture Office: Atelier DRK

Main Architect: Diogo Almeida

E-mail: atelier@drk.pt

Facebook: www.facebook.com/atelier.DRK

Instagram: www.instagram.com/drk.atelier

Location: Guarda – Portugal

Year of conclusion: 2020

Total area: 90m2

(Copyright and photo credits) Architectural photographer: Ivo Tavares Studio

Facebook: www.facebook.com/ivotavaresstudio

Instagram: www.instagram.com/ivotavaresstudio

This is a view of a hallway with herringbone marble flooring and white walls.

This hallway can be closed off with a hidden wooden sliding door.

This is a close look at the handle of the sliding door and the electric switch on the side.

This set of white sliding door si complemented by the large textured stone wall on the side that matches the tone of the herringbone floor.

These are then contrasted by the dark tray ceiling.

On the side of this sliding door is the dining area that has a white dining table contrasted by the black chairs surrounding it.

This dining area is topped with a dark tray ceiling.

On the side of the dining area is the kitchenette with a cabinetry lining the walls along with a stainless steel oven topped with white counters.

This angle showcases the elliptical shape of the dining table and its beige tone that matches the floor.

This is a corner of the house with a large textured stone wall that complements the chair and the colorful artwork.

On the side of this corner is a set of folding doors that open up the room and close it off.

This is another look at the folding white doors and how it blends with the white ceiling.

On the other side is another textured stone beige wall that complements the bright white ceiling and folding doors.

This wall is adorned with a couple of sculptures that stand out against the textured wall.

This is a close look at the white wall and how it is complemented by the herringbone marble flooring.

This is the hallway that is formed when the folding doors are closed.

This is the bedroom that has white walls, a white bed and herringbone flooring that is adorned by the artworks on the side.

This view shows the proximity of the bedroom from the living room area and how it is separated by walls.

This is the bright white bathroom that is contrasted by the black vanity topped with a circular mirror with lighting.

This is a simpler bathroom that has a small floating black vanity that stands out against the surrounding bright beige tones.

This is a close look at the round wall-mounted vanity mirror with its own lighting.

This is an illustration of the floor plan after renovation.

This is an illustration of the floor plan before renovation.

In an early seventies building, we found an uncharacterized apartment, too compartmentalized and with little natural light. The challenge was to bring a contemporary language ensuring the comfort of modern living under controlled costs. Severely constrained by the available space, the highly detailed works of dismantling partition walls and build new space guides brought a new distribution and a smoother transition between rooms.

Finding structural walls made of stone and the impossibility of their removal brought a new problem. Keeping the stone visible turned the problem into a solution, marking the character of the space as well as its own uniqueness and exclusivity. Exploring the idea of evolutionary and adaptable architecture, incorporating flexibility into planning and designing, bringing in concepts suited to the different requirements of the space appropriation, allowing the use of a hallway as an office, or turn a reading area into a guest room.

The extreme care of working the light as a shaping element of the space combined with the selection of natural claddings highlights the stone, assuring the elegance and distinction of the different rooms, making the experience of this space absolutely distinctive.