Architects

The creative minds that built samesame’s building are Miguel Duarte, Carolina Rocha and Maria Vale. We asked them to describe a bit our project, and here’s what Miguel shared with us:

“The project takes place around two “Pombalinos”’s buildings in Lisbon. It starts at “Rua da Madalena” and ends at “Beco do Rosendo”, in a complex that has suffered numerous changes over time.

At Rua da Madalena was necessary to interfere in a six-floor building, without a cover and totally distorted inside. The building suffered several constructions that did not respect the original configuration and received mostly offices as their occupants. At Beco do Rosendo was necessary to demolish its entire interior but preserve the facades. The building was in total ruin and it was necessary to a deep intervention in order to give back the life that has long disappeared.

We needed to study everything (…) in order to consciously regenerate both the buildings. The apartments have been designed as unique open spaces that can be divided into different areas, some with the possibility of having down town views.

Then arises the co-living concept, that was born in the 60s in Denmark, where is designed a ecosystem that allows people to sleep, live and work in the same building, creating this way a sense of community and complicity between all the involved, no matter how long they stay.

In this way, Rua da Madalena, hosts nine bedrooms, six apartments, a tea house with a private garden and an artistic co-working space. On the other hand, Beco do Rosendo can host a residence made by six bedrooms and two apartments with a summer pavilion.

The bedrooms of Rua da Madalena emerge as small cork volumes against the building limits, allowing natural light to penetrate through its intervals, into the generous common areas created at the back.” This model aims to invite people to get out of their rooms and meet each other, cook and share stories. The apartments have a different dimension (..).

The tea house is created as a single exterior space divided in two areas, one is open sky and the other covered, ensuring a total balance between the two. To complete the space, at the open area exists a very diverse garden that allows a point of pure air at the Lisbon’s downtown. The artistic co-working space (…) is developed by a large room with generous shared tables and has a white box in the centre that is composed by a meeting room, a bathroom and a kitchenet for all necessary activities to a productive day of work.

The Beco do Rosendo residence develops itself on three levels around a skylight that floods the space of light and colour. The starting point is a generous common area designed for the sharing of several lives and rises to the rooms by a spiral staircase. The rooms take advantage of the attic area and are settled as small lofts that separate the sleeping area from the rest (..). The summer pavilion is hidden in the existing wall and was designed as a silence yard. It is possible to access by a metal staircase through the residence and is intended to be used individually or collectively for meditation or yoga.

In this way, the moments and essential services to have a complete co-living space, nourished not only by the residents but also by visitors and guests, is closed. To inspire the co-living residents, samesame offers eclectic cultural programming throughout the year with concerts, films, exhibitions, conferences, experimental dinners and many other experiences that can involve the city”. Miguel Duarte

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