ala.rquitectos transforms disjointed lisbon apartments into spacious, light-infused office

ala.rquitectos infuses light and flowing geometry

In a traditional residential neighbourhood in Lisbon, Portugal, ALA.rquitectos has transformed a set of old apartments into a spacious, light-infused office. The project redefines the site’s incoherent typography following an intervention in the 1980s that divided a single home interior into two apartments.

Restoring a sense of coherency, openness, and geometry, the architects created a definitive wall that doubles as a spatial partition and also contains within it amenities such as a pantry. Its natural pine wood surface permeates warmth throughout the space and contrasts with the industrial finish of the continuous cement floor. Both materials together alongside the transparent glass walls and mint green beams enliven the space and create an airy interior.

Imprensa Nacional 36 Studio in Lisbon, Portugal | all images courtesy of ALA.rquitectos

an interplay of natural and industrial materiality

ALA.rquitectos began its renovation by transforming the ground floor which served as the original build’s main access to the interior patio into an open office space. The structure was reinforced with steel beams, while the original facade and its large wood doble doors were preserved. To open up the space while giving it a sense of organization and order, the architects drew a straight line in the form of a functional wall. This core feature takes shape as a wood-clad wall, integrated with a pantry and small kitchenette, and leads access to the adjacent technical room, archive area, and bathroom.

To bring ample natural light into the office and ensure transparency and openness, a glass partition wall with a wooden beam structure painted in black was created. To define the main room as an orthogonal space the partition was also extended to the other side, creating a small meeting room.

ALA.rquitectos re-injects light into the interior

accents of mint green on the beams inject minimal color

the core wooden wall serves as a space divider, cabinet, and access way

a glass partition wall ensures openness through the office

pantry and kitchenette tucked inside the pine wood wall

a light and airy interior

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project info:

name: Imprensa Nacional 36 Studio
architecture: ALA.rquitectos
location: Lisbon, Portugal

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edited by: ravail khan | designboom