A Mix of Rural and Urban Lifestyle

Making New out of a Portuguese Ruin

JA House by Filipe Pina and Maria Inês Costa
Guarda, Portugal

Lately, it seems traditional Mediterranean architecture is getting a bit of a face lift and therefore making new from old is becoming more than a simple trend. The JA House by Filipe Pina and Maria Inês Costa is just more proof of that. The Portuguese home mixes rural and urban lifestyles very efficiently.

This project was built on existing stone ruins. Yet, the whole house has been reshaped. The former house has been modernized and completed with a new concrete volume. This one has straighter lines and contrasts strongly with the granite shape of the old house. Both volumes are linked by a metal and transparent structure containing the stairways. The new reorganization occupies the full length of the land. Inside, another old concept has been modernized and use as a basis.

Both buildings are connected by a central courtyard that provides light due to high quality steel windows and doors in the middle of the house and maximizes space inside.

The courtyard and the stairs are at the core of the house and are key elements for the spatial relationship between the different parts of the house. They create a continuity between the two volumes, indispensable in the case of such a project.

Indeed, to create new from old efficiently very often comes down to creating a coherent link between the two styles, the two eras. In this case, it is a success!

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Window Seat Ideas

A Slightly Different Window

Houses often look great when they have built-in elements that are functional as well as aesthetically pleasing.

When designing a home, a large window could be designed to also be a window seat, perfect for looking out into the nature.

From inside the home, the wood window frame becomes a focus point as most of the interior is white. The contrast between the wood and the white really makes it modern and perfectly frames the view, while also providing a great spot for sitting and relaxing.

The dark grey aluminium window with the Georgian bars becomes a perfect contrast to the white wooden bench.


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