Porto

Subterms

    Latest story

    113 Shares139 Views

    The Rebello Hotel occupies former factory along Porto’s riverside

    by

    This hotel by architecture studio Metro Urbe occupies a series of former industrial buildings on the banks of the River Douro in Porto, Portugal, and features interiors by Quiet Studios.

    The Rebello Hotel is spread across several 19th-century buildings, which have been overhauled and adapted with new additions by Metro Urbe, in Vila Nova de Gaia – across the river from the city proper.
    At The Rebello Hotel, nods to the site’s industrial past and Porto’s nautical history can be found in artworks and decor choicesOperated by Bomporto Hotels, which has two properties in Lisbon, the new addition to its portfolio was designed with a local approach and to take full advantage of its prime riverside location.
    The Rebello is named after Porto’s famous rabelos – wooden boats that used to transport barrels of port wine down the river – and located beside the city’s only remaining boatyard.
    The lobby bar and cafe was designed for digital nomads to work and relaxThe collection of buildings was once a kitchen utensil factory and had been unoccupied for some time before work began to reconfigure the site.

    The team restored two long buildings that face onto the river, preserving their historic stone facades, and constructed two new volumes in the centre of the site that incorporate smaller original structures and resolve the sloping topography.
    A variety of soft seating options enliven the industrial-style interiors of the hotel’s communal spacesPresented with a blank canvas, Spanish interior designer Daniela Franceschini – founder of Lisbon-based Quiet Studios – worked with local artists and creatives to transform the industrial spaces into warm and comfortable guest facilities.
    Using vintage and contemporary objects, she based the interiors around four key elements: water, wine, wood and industry.
    Bedrooms are bright and neutral, with splashes of colour introduced through contemporary furniture”There’s a nautical feel to the colours, materials and textures,” said Franceschini. “That also comes through in the lighting, which is suggestive of floating and sailboats, and in the lamps with chains, the wooden shelves by Tomaz Viana, the ceramic nets by Fig Studio and the undulating mirrors that evoke the movement of the sea.”
    Above the retro-style reception counter, fronted by a metal lattice, is an artwork crafted using reclaimed materials from the rabelos, which was designed by Studio Ther in collaboration with a local artisan.
    Guest room types vary from studios to three-bedroom penthouse apartmentsThe lobby lounge and bar was designed for digital nomads to work or relax on a variety of comfortable soft seats, within a bright space that features polished concrete floors and exposed ceiling ductwork.
    As a nod to the site’s history, the ground-floor Pot&Pan restaurant serves family-style dishes in large pots and pans within a space decorated with dark-toned walls and plants to create a casual atmosphere.

    Álvaro Siza designs tiled mural for Space Copenhagen’s Porto restaurant interior

    There’s also a cafe and store selling local produce and crafts, and meeting rooms that can be hired separately or combined for private events.
    The Rebello Hotel’s 103 guest rooms and apartments are split into 11 different types, ranging from studios to three-bedroom penthouses that span 37 to 195 square metres.
    The hotel’s spa is modelled on ancient Roman bathsThe interiors of its light-filled suites have been decorated with walnut, steel, concrete and tiles, along with contemporary furniture that introduces splashes of bright colour to the otherwise neutral palette.
    The bedrooms also include “tailor-made pieces influenced by nautical and industrial design, such as the sinks inspired by old water tanks and the organically styled bed headboards that resemble the rippling waters of the Douro”, according to the design team.
    The fourth-floor rooftop bar offers views across the Douro River to the Porto skylineThe Rebello Hotel guests can enjoy a spa, modelled on ancient Roman baths and encompassing a heated pool, sauna, fitness centre and treatment rooms.
    Finally, the Rooftop Bello bar on the fourth floor offers a spot for al fresco cocktails overlooking the river, with a view of the city’s terracotta-tiled skyline beyond.
    The riverside site, a former kitchen utensil factory, was converted and extended by architects Metro UrbeOther interior design projects in Porto include a rustic restaurant interior designed by Space Copenhagen, which features a ceramic mural by Álvaro Siza, and a sushi bar by Paulo Merlini where 8,000 wooden chopsticks hang above diners.
    The photography is by Francisco Nogueira.

    Read more: More

    More stories

    • 138 Shares169 Views

      in Rooms

      Álvaro Siza designs tiled mural for Space Copenhagen’s Porto restaurant interior

      by

      A ceramic mural by Álvaro Siza is at the heart of this rustic restaurant interior in Porto, Portugal, designed by Space Copenhagen.

      Located in a renovated 16th-century building in Porto’s Largo de São Domingos area, the Cozinha das Flores restaurant features a mural designed by the Pritzker Architecture Prize-winning Portuguese architect.
      Pritzker Prize-winner Álvaro Siza designed the mural”Whilst Siza has created many pieces of non-architectural works worldwide, he had never created something of this kind for his hometown of Porto,” Space Copenhagen founders Peter Bundgaard Rützou and Signe Bindslev Henriksen told Dezeen.
      “Given Siza’s prominence and contribution to Porto life, having him manifest this into a mural depicting his perception of the city was beyond our expectations.”
      Cozinha das Flores is located in a 16th-century building in Porto, PortugalSketches of figures playing musical instruments stand out in black against contrasting green and burnt orange tiles, which were completed by ceramic tile company Viuva Lamego.

      “When asked to imagine a piece for Cozinha das Flores, he [Siza] depicted the recurrent theme of musicians, representing time well spent; fun, relaxed moments; a medley of emotions; and people joined by arts and culture,” said the studio.
      “The specialist craftspeople used a traditional technique of hand painting the scaled-up facsimile of a sketched image from paper onto the tiles, painted dot by dot.”
      The studio used green and orange tones throughout the interiorThe green and orange hues of the tiles appear elsewhere in the interior. Green cushions top the built-in oak seating bench that runs along the wall below the mural, while doorways were painted dark green.
      The colour palette was unified with coppery plastered walls and warm lighting.
      “We introduced plastered walls in earthy warm tones and a conscious use of light to enhance and saturate,” the studio explained.
      The focus on the local area is reflected in the studio’s design choicesNatural materials like stone, marble, brass and oak were used throughout the interior. The seating was arranged around an open kitchen, which has dark grey quartzite stone surfaces and wooden cabinets.
      Under the direction of Lisbon-born chef Nuno Mendes, the restaurant aims to celebrate the ingredients, wine and culture of northern Portugal.
      Space Copenhagen’s approach involved collaborations with local craftspeopleThe warm, earthy hues chosen by Space Copenhagen were informed by the restaurant’s food, as well as the building and area in which it is located.
      “The historical building structure that frames the restaurant and bar provided the base palette, which we have built upon,” said Space Copenhagen.
      “Aged stone and dark-stained wood were our existing starting points. All elements are associated with the city of Porto”, it added.
      Materials were sourced from across PortugalThroughout the project, the studio prioritised regional materials and collaborated with a variety of local architects, artists and craftspeople. Woodworkers from northern Portugal crafted the dark wood furnishings and fittings.
      “All stone, wood, metal and tiling has been sourced from regions in Portugal using a proximity criterion as priority,” said the studio. “All the millwork has been made by local artisans.”
      Natural materials like stone, marble, brass and oak feature throughout the interiorCozinha das Flores, and its adjacent 12-seater bar, Flôr, are amongst five heritage buildings that make up the Largo project, set to open later this year.
      Other local projects by Siza include his 1963 Boa Nova Tea House, which was transformed into a seafood restaurant for Portuguese chef Rui Paula in 2014.
      Previous projects by Space Copenhagen include the renovation of the Mammertsberg restaurant and hotel in Switzerland and the Blueness restaurant in Antwerp.
      The photography is by Luís Moreira and Matilde Cunha.

      Read more: More

    • 125 Shares169 Views

      in Rooms

      Paulo Merlini Architects creates concrete spiral walkway inside Porto office

      by

      A spiralling concrete walkway and a storage wall filled with colourful ceramics are the standout features in this office for E-goi and Clavel’s Kitchen, designed by Paulo Merlini Architects.

      The three-storey building is the headquarters for two companies: Clavel’s Kitchen, which creates digital content for brands in the food sector, and email marketing provider E-goi.
      A spiralling concrete ramp connects the three floorsPaulo Merlini Architects designed the 2,800-square-metre workplace to be functional and flexible, but to also feel playful and creative.

      “One of the most important issues in designing a company’s headquarters is to create a space that expresses and is in line with the corporate culture,” said the studio.
      “Both E-goi and Clavel’s Kitchen present a rather informal type of management, although extremely professional, and asked us for a space that would express that – a fluid, equal, heterogeneous and unpretentious space.”
      A skylight illuminates the walkway from aboveThe building is made of two structures – one preexisting and one new – which join together.
      The concrete ramp forms the natural heart of the newly connected interior, providing access between floors while also functioning as a meeting place for staff.

      Concrete spiral staircase twists through open-plan office by Hildebrand

      Slender vertical bars create a balustrade, while adding to the sculptural appearance of the spiral.
      There’s also a skylight above, which allows natural light to filter down through all three floors.
      A storage wall is filled with objects used in photoshootsThe colourful storage wall, located on the first floor, provides a striking backdrop to the spiral.
      Built from wood and with a backdrop of clear glass, this huge shelving unit is filled with cooking equipment, crockery and tableware, used by Clavel’s Kitchen for photoshoots.
      These elements are organised by colour, creating a rainbow effect.
      The photography studio benefits from north lightThe photography studio is positioned directly in front of this wall, behind the glazed north-facing facade, so that it can benefit from natural light with minimal shadows.
      Paulo Merlini Architects said this is “the best light for the type of function it offers since, reflected by the sky, it offers low-contrast lighting, remaining relatively constant during the day”.
      “Wooden boxes” organise the interior layoutOther spaces in the office include a dining room with enough space for 100 people to eat together along with a mix of formal and informal meeting rooms and video-call booths.
      These spaces are organised by a series of “wooden boxes”. Some of these are complete volumes that contain entire rooms or booths, while others are made up of partition walls or ceiling surfaces.
      Meeting rooms are housed within these wooden volumesOne box incorporates three house-shaped openings, with banquette seating and tables built in, while another features curtains and beanbags.
      “It is the distribution of these boxes throughout the space that defines all the spatial dynamics,” said the studio.
      Spaces are designed to be flexible and fun”By distributing these functions in a heterogenic way throughout the space, and by mismatching these elements in a kind of organised chaos, we guarantee spatial versatility and create a series of nooks and crannies that allow several kinds of appropriation,” it continued.
      “We guarantee ample spaces where the interaction between co-workers takes place with great naturalness, and more discrete spaces where you can read a book, relax, or even have a more informal meeting.”
      Photography is by Ivo Tavares.
      Project credits
      Architect: Paulo Merlini ArchitectsProject team: Paulo Merlini, André Santos

      Read more: More

    • 150 Shares189 Views

      in Rooms

      Fala Atelier goes bold on colour for Apartment on a Mint Floor

      by

      Portuguese studio Fala Atelier has used a mint green floor to brighten up the interior of a two-bedroom apartment in Porto. The studio, led by architects Filipe Magalhães, Ana Luisa Soares and Ahmed Belkhodja, was asked to completely redesign the 190-square-property, which is set on the ground floor of a nondescript modernist housing block. The […] More