The project is made more difficult by the rua Torrinha, a busy street overlooking the southern part of the building; towards the north, on the other hand, there is a garden which serves as a lung of silence and relaxation for the 4 new apartments distributed over the 3 floors of this old house in the center of Porto
Renovation of an old house in the center of Porto, the challenge for the privacy and for the light
The challenge taken up by Ren Ito Arquitecto is the renovation of an old house in the center of Porto with a narrow and elongated shape, from which to draw 4 comfortable and bright apartments while maintaining the charm of the existing architectural elements
The project of the Portuguese architect Ren Ito includes two apartments on the lower floors, the basement and the ground floor, distributed on a single level with kitchen, living room, and bedroom located in the quietest part of the apartment. The apartment on the basement floor (below street level to the south) has direct access to the garden on the north, of which a part is reserved exclusively for it. The apartment on the ground floor has openings both towards the garden and also towards the street
Ren Ito, on the other hand, arranges the two apartments on the second floor using the height of the sloping roof in order to create lofts for the sleeping area. The lower part of the two apartments is used as a living area where it is possible to install a stove, and is connected to the mezzanine by an internal staircase which is illuminated by a diamond-shaped skylight
In all the apartments a special attention has been paid to the use of integrated lighting and not to create a friendly environment and to highlight the existing architectural elements. Each apartment has its own vegetable garden and a barbecue area in the garden, decorated with old tiles and specially designed elements such as airplane-shaped fireplaces. Other decorative details characterize the house at Rua Torrinha 316, such as the door knobs in the shape of a tower in honor of the name of the street where it stands and the diamond-shaped skylights.
The Origami series of lamps was used to illuminate the spaces, providing a friendly atmosphere
Gallery
