Casa Lela is an interesting housing project that was based on a pair of abandoned houses located on the border of a property in Santa Cruz do Bispo, Portugal. The client wanted to transform the houses into a single guesthouse, and a team of architects from Oficina d’Arquitectura were tasked with making his dream a reality.
The architects made a single cut between the homes and created a visual relationship between them. In the end, the volumes became a single crystallized object, as they both feature the same materials in their roofs and walls. The abode flaunts solid wood pieces that organize various spaces, while the floor material was used to create built-in furnishings.
From the architect:
The client had family vacation estate, in the country side nearby Porto, with a house that has been in his family for some generations.
On the border of the property there were two abandoned house, connected to each other, that were later acquired by the client with purpose of converting it into a guest house.
Since we wanted to do a single object in communication with the main property, we did a single cut in the object create an opening. This cut was carefully chosen in order to achieve the best shape relation between the two old houses.
In the end they become one single crystalized object, since we use the same material in the walls and roof. This shelter is completed by adding solid wood pieces that organize the space, while the floor material escalates from the ground to become furniture.
Location: Santa Cruz do Bispo, Portugal
Architect In Charge: arch. Florêncio da Costa, arch. José Pinho
Year: 2015
Structures: Diastec ( Elisio Gomes )
Contractor: AnÃbal Beleza
