waves of glass and clouds of metal
A ground floor shop in a banal and narrow 70’s housing block was to be transformed into an apartment for two. The program is clear, the layout not so much.
Waves of glass brick and clouds of metal mesh solve a non domestic space that could remain as such. Two curved walls run smoothly through both levels gently dissociating private and public. A longitudinal axis is emphasised by two metallic masks. The back façade is a compound layering of glass, mirror, metallic cutouts, steady patters, and fiddly handrails. The front is a misty mass of clouds.
The material palette dissolves the traditional boundaries of a house. Vast surfaces of glass brick, tiles and light blue are occasionally interrupted by dots of marble, lines of wood and blatant red elements. One could refer to Ito's sense of erotic transparency and Hasegawa's experiments with overlays and layers.
The project is a spectacular answer to a non spectacular question. The domestic space is a stage and dwelling becomes performing; the user becomes an actor and spectator to the routines of daily life.
CREDITS
Design team: fala (Filipe Magalhães, Ana Luisa Soares, Ahmed Belkhodja, Lera Samovich, Ana Lima, Joana Sendas, João Carlos Lopes)
Project team: Paulo Sousa (engineering), Pomo (landscape), Civiflanco (contractor)
