House in Travessa de Patrocinio

Text description provided by architect.

From a small lot with it’s unique implantation, this project has raised early on a couple of challenges... and along with them, ideas emerged.

The box housing deviates from the gable to create a vertical yard (glass box), with a straight ladder connecting all floors, an allusion to the famous stairs of Alfama, running between the all 4 floors walls and linking the various dimensions.

In terms of material, we chose to polish the rectangular form and give the block the face of a tree, making it one more element of the square, which resulted together with the existing tree and water fountain, in a triad.

The program was set up almost automatically, the technical services and garage with direct access from the street, the first floor holding the private area of the house.

Therefore, this project is in fact a mini lung and an example of sustainability for the city of Lisbon, keeping the principles of a living typical habitat and a relationship with the outside, assuming a revitalizing urban role.

Its walls are completely covered with vegetation, creating a vertical garden, filled with around 4500 plants from 25 different Iberian and Mediterranean varieties which occupies 100 square meters.

For example, in the swimming pool you will have the flavor of saffron, in the bedroom, lavender, in the living-room, rosemary.

Implemented in the heart of a busy city, the vertical garden creates an unique link with nature and an unexpected atmosphere.