There is a fascinating and ever-present tension between the old and the new, the commonplace and the avant-garde in

’s GreenHouse located in Portugal’s capital Porto. Existing stone walls lay encased beneath layers of metallic mesh – a moment that embodies the ethos of the entire project. Original features from the past are polished and brought into the 21st century, now interwoven with a lattice of exposed green structural beams that are the symbol of the contemporary renovation. Upon engaging with the project, OTTOTTO discovered the stone walls that formed the structural bones of the original building. Peeling back layers of plaster, their striking imperfect quality was revealed, and naturally, they became the king of the subsequent design. A grid of metallic mesh now sits on top, adding another layer to the ever-evolving narrative of the house. An industrial aesthetic is injected with exposed steel dipped in a vivacious deep green. The colour jumps from the structure onto the floor, forming a colourful carpet. One does not have to guess where the home’s name came from, as the colour quickly becomes a primary theme in the project narrative.

A new structural system supports three white volumes that hang suspended above the dining and living areas below. As one’s eyes move upward, another gem is revealed – the skylight that slices down the length of the building. The long and narrow house originally would have been closed off to the light, creating less than optimal living spaces. The constant 700mm wide roof opening channels light deep into the centre of the floor plate, delivering airy, light-filled rooms at every level.

Spaces feel like they exist separately, floating together under a common roof. Large windows that slice open the independent new volumes allow occupants on one to spy on those in another. Conversations from one space can carry down and meld with those of the area below, creating an open floor plan not only on the ground level but also vertically. Connecting the floors is a black steel stair that sits as a solid, monolithic element when compared to the otherwise lightweight structural system that surrounds it.

‘s GreenHouse stands as a playful amalgamation of new and old elements. The front façade of the home remains intact, an outer face that diverges with the contemporary language that now lies within.

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