CONSTITUIÇÃO. APARTMENT

The rehabilitation of built heritage has taken on new meanings, with the restoration of buildings from the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s - marked by the influence of the Modern Movement in Portugal - becoming increasingly common.

Among these examples are works that reveal the contribution of several architects to Porto and the country, by proposing new ways of living and rethinking the city. The duo of Arménio Losa and Cassiano Barbosa is a key name in this modernist legacy.

Recognizing the importance of their work, Impare Arquitectura accepted a second challenge from the same clients: the refurbishment of an apartment in the collective housing building on Rua da Constituição, designed in the early 1950s.

With around 70 m², the apartment stands out for its spatial flexibility, allowing the living room to be divided to create a bedroom or office. Despite being in generally good condition - with original pine parquet flooring, doors, fittings and skirting boards - the kitchen and bathroom, which had been the target of unfortunate interventions, required a complete renovation.

The refurbishment focused on these spaces, with special attention to preserving the original wooden elements. The kitchen was rethought according to current requirements, concentrating equipment on one side, inspired by the intervention made in another modernist apartment on Avenida Fernão de Magalhães.

With this and other projects, Impare Arquitectura has sought to enhance the distinctive elements of the buildings it rehabilitates, preserving their architectural identity.