Vigário House by AND-RÉ architects
Loation: Peredes,Portugal
Year: 2015
Currently No.1 on my list of favorite “new in old”. I found out about this project recently while finding my own inspiration. Yes, these old walls, reminded me on some old walls I consolidated and preserved ones for my own “new in old” design”. It was a an ruined old castle. Even thought, description, on the official page, doesn’t say, my guess is that this might have been used as living space of an old traditional Portuguese housing. Naturally this was a large housing complex of north-western Portugal with separate buildings for different functions,
While taking the perspective, architects describe how existing ruins “were the triggers that set the conditions for the unfolding of the new architecture narrative”. As it should always be when you design in such strong cultural ambiance. As admirer of modest design rather than shocking new way of affecting cultural heritage with new strong and large architecture I find this project quite amazing in a few points.
1. Noticeable contrast in texture and color of the outside material expressed in dark grey smooth facade opposite to palette of bright brown and yellowish pieces of broken stone,
2. Using old structure as a shell for everything inside which brings more to the effect of surprise at the level of interior design,
3. Well designed space in every aspect of the evaluation of an architectural design
As an example of the best of one deliberated architectural design can bring Vigário House is such refreshment in everyday architectural preservation routine. The fact that only consolidation works took over one year and period to complete the works over 7 years tells itself enough about the patience of creating perfectly detailed design that breeds the same are as existing structure as part of the same body and no other way.