João's House is a renovation project for a small house located in the old part of the city of Porto, close to the Douro River. It is a traditional XIX century ground floor building with walls made with stone, and a wooden roof structure covered with tiles. It was once used as a bakery that served the local population who were mostly fishermen.

The project transforms the bakery into a two floor house distributing the social spaces on the groundfloor and the private spaces on the upperfloor. There is a mid level between the two floors to open a small pátio that brings light to the client’s musical studio.

The social space on the ground floor - living room and kitchen - is fisically divided, and visually United, by a piece of furniture that works simultaneously as a Bookshelf and a cupboard, as it can be accessed through it’s glass sliding frames from both sides. So you can have books in one shelf and ktichen stuff in another. It also filters light in a very subtle way. 

The kitchen is a very extroverted space, and it can extend outdoors to the street, letting you enjoy the neighbourhood spirit and popular life with a glaass of wine in hand while dinner is being cooked.

The living room is a more introverted space iluminated by the skylight that gives very different kinds of white due to the reflection of natural light in the various wall textures. The upperfloor has two unleveled rooms that share one bathroom with two separate entrance doors. There is also a very nice and quiet varanda that the sun likes to visit. It opens to the neighbours backyards and takes you to a very confortable place. A place about identity, culture and the history of Porto.

Originally published on 21 June, 2017