Restoring architectural identity
Casa dos Gelados consists of the rehabilitation, expansion, and interior design of a building from the 1920s, located in the historic center of the city of Olhão, Portugal. Having the building already undergone some changes in the past, this intervention by Sena Architects was intended to restore spatial and architectural identity as well as quality, taking advantage of the type of construction, the versatility of its volumes, and interior organisation. The project also took advantage of some pre-existing elements, as is the case of the existing garage, something very coveted in the centre of this fishing town, due to the scarcity of parking.
The house is divided over 3 plan open floors, connected to each other through vertical accesses. On the ground floor, there is a private garage and access to the house, which is located on the upper floor, with a small laundry area and storage area. On the 1st floor is the living room and open kitchen, served by a small interior patio, open to the sky, which gives life to the space itself, making it more luminous and airier. Ventilation and natural light were essential elements in this project, taking into account the climate of the region. In addition to the existence of a bathroom as well as an existing balcony, there was also a concern to create some storage space on this floor.
Going up the interior stairs, which embrace the patio, one can access the 2nd floor of the house, where there is an en-suite bedroom. On this floor, we also find access to a balcony with a shaded seating area and a small and an oasis swimming pool.
Inside the building, following the patio, there are open-air stairs that allow to access a large terrace with a beautiful sea views. There was also a concern to maintain or reconstitute the building’s traditionally, through the materials applied, albeit with a more contemporary and up-to-date touch. This aspect can be seen, in the exterior floors, terracotta tiles and in the openings with exposed wooden frames and interior walls and stonework.
