Elisabete de Oliveira Saldanha designed the renovation of a house, stable and a grove of oaks, chestnut and cork trees, situated on a farm, near the city of Guimarães. The adjustments were to meet the original morphology of the propriety, consisting in terraces that led the house orientation and provided it with a direct access to the outside on all floors, except the tower. The building is south oriented, arranged in an “L” shape and organised on four floors. The ground floor is an interior extension of the main living areas of the first floor, it is related to the main entrance area of the house that is made through the staircase and porch, that stands out from the facade by its grandeur and elaborate stone masonry. The first floor connects to the ground floor through a spiral staircase. The living rooms extend to the outside on the south, where the pool is the prominent element, preceded by terraces and a lounge zone that complements the inner social areas. The second floor corresponds to the private areas. The tower hosts an office/library, going up from a living room on the second floor. All the historical elements of the building were preserved and restored or even replicated. The annex retains the main features of the original building where the stables were and it now hosts a workshop.
Info © Elisabete de Oliveira Saldanha
Images © Fernando Guerra | FG+SG
