PINTO BESSA I APARTMENT BLOCK
Porto
2020

[EN]
Located
on the eastern fringe of the city of Porto, Rua de Pinto Bessa forms
the hinge between the consolidated city and a more dispersed
territory populated by buildings of an essentially
industrial nature. This
street connects
Bonfim area
directly to Campanhã
Rail Station. The
structural importance of this street was reflected in the design of
its original
generous profile which
allowed the construction and densification in
height on its both
sides. This
housing block comes to complete this urban intention, taking
advantage of the height defined by the contiguous
buildings. It
accommodates
7 floors with 26 apartments and a commercial space.
Starting
from the aggregation of vertical circulations and sanitary
installations in the nuclear zone of the building, the maximum space
of the apartment is freed up in the design of a matrix that is
intended to be flexible, capable of absorbing the mutations of
everyday life. Thus,
the standard plan is divided into 4 apartments (2 x
1 bedroom typology
and 2 x
2 bedroom
typology)
per floor on which the volume of the kitchen, in apparent reinforced
concrete, play
a main role
by organizing and dividing the living space. The living and eating
spaces are divided from the sleeping space by a light and removable
wooden partition that allows the reconfiguration of the typology.
This
possible reconfiguration allows
the creation of a larger living space in an open-space logic.
Inside,
a noble and timeless materiality is sought with the riga wood floor
contrasting with the exposed concrete surfaces. Also carpentry is
expressive, trying to contribute to the density of the space. The
design and production of a ceramic tile specifically for this
building, helps to define its identity: in 3 variations of the same
pattern it appears in kitchens, toilets and elevations, continuing a
very present theme in modern buildings that in the 60s and 70s were
punctuating the city of Porto and that we still admire
today.
Both
facades react to the
surroundings and sun exposure. On
the north side
- Rua de Pinto Bessa - a large structural concrete
frame is
filled with
tile panels and openings of controlled size which
altogether lay
on a reinforced concrete plinth. The volumetry of the top floor
assumes to
be an exception and
designs
the transition between neighboring buildings. On
the south side – facing the courtyard – large windows allow great
sunlight absortion and are juxtaposed to a
metallic structure that frames
balconies of varying depths. These balconies, which generously extend
the living space to the outside, create a complex and expressive game
that maximizes the solar intake of the outside area and controls the
solar exposure of two interior spaces.
The
backyard tries to create a common meeting space for all inhabitants.
It is designed in different levels which melt with the main building
and the garage that occupies the back limit of the plot.
Technical Information
Architecture: depA Architects
MEP: CPX, MSE, Edgar Brito, Armanda Santos
Photography: José Campos


















