The maintaining the original perimeter structure born in the interpretation of the intrinsic value of this morphology in the context of Junqueira neighborhood.
The house grows occuping of former walls interspersing patios and terrace voids. A new brick structure consequence of abstraction of an accordion-shaped volume, allowing interesting ways to illuminate the interior.
Project description by António Costa Lima Arquitectos
The site is called Altinho probably because of it's on a higher level than the old Junqueira Street which is mostly in a lower plan. From the little square you can get a privileged view over the river and the Electricity Museum, one indelible icon of the city history.
The original use of the building is related to the fluvial nature of the city. It is integrated in the wide waist of manufacturing and logistic warehouses that spreads and swarm in an irregular line along the Tagus banks in streets like Junqueira, Pedrouços, Dom Luis I, Rua da Alfândega, Rua of the Tobacco Garden, Calçada de la Cruz de Pedra, Xabregas, etc.
The option of maintaining the original walled perimeter rests on the interpretation of the intrinsic value of this morphology in the context of Junqueira and the city.
The house is born of the confrontation of two archetypes - house vs. warehouse - confronting shapes, scales and materials. Thus, the house occupies the walled perimeter interspersing patios and terrace voids with fragmented volumes.
