Leopold Banchini Architects has teamed up with Daniel Zamarbide to turn a historical building in Lisbon into a minimalist family home. Situated within a neighborhood that was built around the historic ‘Chapel of Nossa Senhora do Monte’, the area lies on a steep gradient that overlooks the Portuguese capital. By utilizing raw materials and a pared-back material palette, the architects transformed the building in ruins into a single family house on three-story.
Leopold Banchini and Daniel Zamarbide‘s intervention seeks to retain some of the existing character by preserving the regular rhythm of the historical openings within the new white façade. Double high spaces allow for breathing and communication between the floors, generating a flowing and undivided space.
The interior space is characterized by the concrete structure that is left exposed, creating an honest architectural expression. Local pink and white marble from the nearby quarry of Estremoz is the unique material used for the interiors. Large slabs of solid stone create walls, floors, and shelves, reducing the details to the bare minimum. Light fabric curtains are used for visual divisions and intimacy.
On each floor, a central core holds the elementary needs: beds, showers, kitchen, equipment. A large and fluid living space surrounds the cores, avoiding divisions and allowing for a multi-purpose and modulating use. Large wood sliding doors allow to temporarily separate the volumes and create enclosed bedrooms when needed. The fireplace fitted in the curved marble of the ground floor heats the stone core on each floor.
On the lower level, a contained and shaded patio offers a colorful exterior room open to the sky of Lisbon. The walls of the patio are tiled with locally produced traditional azulejos. A single spiral staircase connects the levels and reaches the roof terrace.
Surrounded by the blue waters of the pool, the white marble plane offers a panoramic view of the seemingly endless cityscape. Three umbrella pines, recalling the ones planted by the monks in front of the chapel of Nossa Senhora do Monte, provide shade during the hot hours of the day.