CANNATÀ & FERNANDES, HOUSING, BY MARIO PISANI
The project involves the renovation of an old building that had been abandoned and left to rack and ruin. It is a house located on a small plot (7.00 m x 3.30 m), 50 sqm of which has been used over three levels. The project is eye-catching and stands out due to its location. It is situated along the Calçada da Serra, the riverside of the Douro, a must-see attraction in the city of Porto. As you stroll along this charming street, you pass by the supporting pillars of Luís Bridge that leads to one of the one of the famous Port wine cellars that is open to visitors.
The house offers a unique view of the city's old centre and, despite its modest size, it provides an exceptional opportunity to create a design of particular prestige. It consists of two entrances, one at street level and the other at a lower level, accessible from a private road. Its unique layout means the two main bedrooms can be used independently. The entrance from Calçada da Serra opens onto the communal areas of the house, which include the entrance, bathroom, kitchen, living/dining room and bedroom.
The private entrance on the lower level
leads to the owner's work area, which consists of a design studio and an art
workshop, complete with a bathroom. The property’s greatest asset is its large
windows, set at different heights, and a terrace. These features set out the
spaces, enhancing the existing dimensions and creating full interaction with
the exceptional surrounding landscape.
The work is made of exposed concrete on
the inside to showcase the simplicity of the construction system, eliminating
the need for extra layers of cladding. The floor is made of painted pine wood,
and the colour scheme of the remaining areas highlights the chromatic-decorative
features of the space.
Cannatà & Fernandes Arquitetos Lda, founded by Fátima Fernandes and Michele Cannatà, who have been working together since 1984, was established in 2000 and has carried out all kinds of projects in Portugal and Italy, the founders' home countries. The firm has completed projects in various fields of architecture, including urban design and planning, product and graphic design, as well as providing engineering-subcontracting services with expert partners directly linked to its main operations, which even extends to editorial work and culture, such as book publishing, curating exhibitions and international architecture seminars, always working in partnership with universities and institutions Riccardo Cannatà joined the team in 2023 after twelve years working for Kazuyo Sejima + Ryue Nishizawa / SANAA in Tokyo. Mario Pisani
Client: Carlos Azeredo Mesquita; Project: Fátima Fernandes, Michele Cannatà; Structural engineering: João Maria Sobreira; Hydraulical Engineering: Gop – Raquel Fernandes; Electrical Engineering: Ohm – Fernando da Silva Gusmão; Mechanical HVAC Installations: GET – André Ortega Raposo; Acustic: Inacoustics - Octávio Inácio; Constructor: A.S. Vieira, Lda. Photo: Luís Ferreira Alves
