Manuela Porto 10 | ALA.rquitectos

This project refers to the transformation of two commercial units into a single living space, designed as a loft-style apartment. The proposal is based on the creation of a continuous, spacious environment, prioritizing the relationship between the different uses and the unified spatial perception.

The organization of the space was designed to maximize the use of existing natural light, a structuring element of the entire project.

The main areas, designated as more social, are located in the former shop on the far right, and include: the living area, dining area and kitchen. These are developed in an open space, allowing for a fluid reading with greater diffusion of light throughout the interior space. The absence of partitions in this space contributes to greater functional flexibility and reinforces the contemporary character of the loft.

In contrast, a more sheltered and less luminous area is defined along a corridor that distributes the more private areas, namely the bathrooms and a closet. It is also through this corridor that we have access to the library.

The library was one of the initial premises of this project. The clients had a large number of books and wanted to create an exclusive area for their organization. We managed to create this U-shaped space where the walls are lined with books. This space takes on a more introspective and sensory character, functioning as a core for storage, contemplation, and even reading.

In the old shop, further to the left, we have a bedroom, and next to it we have another compartment that could function as another bedroom or a small office. The walls of this room are all made of polycarbonate, which allows for the creation of a natural light box for the more interior area.

Dividing the social area from the more private area, we have two large velvet curtains. These are elements with a strong presence, a scenic character, and which also help improve acoustics. The first, located in the more social area, is gold and runs along the facade, the opaque area of ​​the entrance, and the passageway to the corridor. The second curtain, in dark green, is located in the area preceding the bedrooms and also runs along the facade, then extends parallel to the polycarbonate wall of the bedroom. Both curtains create different levels of privacy, circulation, and lighting through their various arrangements, allowing more or less natural light to enter or limiting circulation between different interior spaces.

The choice of materials focused on the criteria of brightness, comfort, and durability. The flooring is entirely made of light-colored terrazzo, contributing to the reflection of natural light and giving a greater sense of spaciousness. The perimeter walls are made of stucco painted white. The walls that border the building's stairwell are covered with white lacquered MDF panels; this was the way we integrated this element almost as if it were a piece of furniture. Then we created a large wall, covered in three-layer wood; this wooden element allows us to introduce a more comfortable element and also improves the acoustics of the apartment. As already mentioned, we used polycarbonate with horizontal and vertical posts in veneer wood in the room preceding the master bedroom.

We can conclude that this intervention sought to balance functionality with aesthetics, taking advantage of the pre-existing characteristics of the space and reinterpreting them in the light of a contemporary language, where light, materiality, and spatial continuity play a central role.