Architecture studio Atelier In Vitro took a nostalgic approach to the renovation of three apartments in an old building in Porto, by restoring parquet and marble floors, and adding mid-century furniture.
Atelier In Vitro renovated three apartments in the 19th-century building, including one on the fifth floor
The three 200-square-metre apartments are located on the fifth, sixth and seventh floors of Porto's Pala?cio do Come?rcio.
To complement the character of the building, the architects restored existing features like wooden parquet flooring
Described by Atelier In Vitro as "one the most charismatic buildings in the city", the block was designed by Portuguese architect couple Maria Jose? Marques da Silva and David Moreira da Silva and constructed between 1944 and 1946. The original layout of the flat, including a curved entrance hall and a central corridor, was preserved
The architects wanted their design to complement the character of the building while also creating comfortable homes.
The kitchens were rearranged and fitted with white cabinets, marble splashback and patterned floor tiles
"The proposed interventions sought to minimise the impact on the apartments, preserving and valuing their original characteristics," said the architects.
"At the same time, the fact that the apartments were in a good state of conservation, led to proposals involving essentially a set of specific interventions."
Marble walls and floors, and ceramic...