In a bold fusion of heritage and modernity, Portuguese studio spaceworkers has transformed a dilapidated 19th-century dwelling into Covelo House – a 32m² architectural manifesto challenging preconceptions of compact living. Completed in 2022 in Porto, this micro-intervention rethinks social housing while honoring Portugal’s working-class history through the revitalization of vanishing urban islands.
Originally built as cramped quarters for factory laborers, Porto’s ilhas urbanas (urban islands) formed clusters of matchbox-sized homes lining bourgeois estates’ courtyards. These semi-detached structures, typically measuring just 4×4 meters, featured minimal openings – a single door and window facing shared access corridors that defined their unique urban fabric.
By the 1970s, these overcrowded spaces faced demolition under government relocation schemes that moved residents to impersonal social housing on city outskirts. Yet spaceworkers co-founders Henrique Marques and Rui Dinis saw poetic potential in these neglected ruins, recognizing them as vital fragments of Porto’s collective memory.
The architects preserved the structure’s original footprint while injecting radical contemporary logic. Their intervention strategically divides the two-level space: a fluid public realm occupies the ground floor, where kitchen countertops seamlessly merge with a contemporary staircase that ascends through a dramatic black volume portal.
This sculptural staircase leads to a private sanctuary where spatial constraints dissolve through ingenious design. A mirrored bathroom captures light from dual windows, creating ethereal depth in the sleeping quarters. Existing stone walls painted white maximize luminosity, forming a luminous canvas for bold contrasting elements like charcoal staircases and vibrant cobalt shutters.
Externally, the historic renovation announces itself through the black volume framing the entrance, while custom Bairro Design furniture nestles into microscopic niches. Photographer Ivo Tavares Studiocaptures the alchemy of old and new: sunlight raking across chalky walls, glossy reflections fragmenting spaces, and iconic shutters revitalizing the streetscape.
At just 32m², Covelo House proves historic preservation needn’t sacrifice innovation. It stands as a prototype for reactivating Portugal’s neglected urban islands – transforming them into light-filled homes that rewrite social narratives while addressing contemporary housing crises through intelligent small house design.