In the heart of Porto, a building that once presided over civil disputes has been quietly reborn as a place of dwelling. The architecture office MASSLAB has completed the Vila Catarina Apartments, a transformative adaptive reuse project that turns the former Civil Court into 16 long-stay residential units.
This is not a simple conversion but a sophisticated exercise in architectural editing. The past is treated not as a relic to be preserved untouched, but as a critical, malleable material for contemporary Portuguese architecture.
The project’s most striking intervention lies in its reconfiguration of the interior layout. Drawing inspiration from the fluid spatial sequences of early 20th-century Portuguese bourgeois homes, MASSLAB eliminated conventional corridors. Instead, circulation flows through a series of interconnected rooms, creating a sense of continuous movement and discovery.
This approach transforms the formerly rigid, institutional plan into a domestic topography that feels both expansive and intimate. Each compartment within the apartments is defined by a distinct vaulted ceiling, with proportions carefully calibrated to its function—more contained in private areas, more expansive in social zones.
This subtle geometric architecture introduces a silent, almost ceremonial rhythm to daily life. The careful manipulation of volume and light creates a living experience that is both grounded and elevated, turning everyday routines into a spatially rich event.
Externally, the intervention speaks a dual language, deftly balancing heritage and contemporary expression. The main street-facing façade has been restored with precision, its original stonework repaired and complemented by new blue-toned ceramic tiles. The rear elevation, however, tells a different story.
Here, MASSLAB introduced a bold, geometric second skin that reorganizes the previously fragmented volume. This new layer expands the building’s envelope, creating generous balconies that overlook a courtyard and pool. As a prototype for sustainable architecture and critical rehabilitation, Vila Catarina demonstrates a powerful alternative to demolition, proving that the most intelligent architecture works by editing rather than overwriting.