Casa da Severa by Jose Adriao Arquitectos // Lisbon, Portugal.

Jose Adriao Arquitectos is an architectural practice based in Lisbon, Portugal, who transformed this former community housing complex into a cultural destination called Casa da Severa. The building, originally composed of three storeys, an attic, and a total of six independent apartments, presented several structural problems and poor living conditions – precarious sanitation facilities and very small and narrow spaces. The architects preserved the façade of the building, appreciating it’s strong presence in the urban fabric of the area, but had to demolish the entire interior to create space for the cultural life to flourish.

Casa da Severa features a café/ restaurant that can be accessed directly from the square by a staircase, which acts as a continuation of the public space. It’s main room takes advantage of the vast central volume, reaching 6.5m at it’s highest point. One of the interior walls is designed to double up for video projection. The ground-floor is where technical areas are located – kitchen, bathroom and storage. On warm days, fado can be sung on the upper outdoor landing, transforming it into a stage that opens towards the square and into the city.

[Images courtesy of Jose Adriao Arquitectos. Photography by Hugo Santos Silva.]