casa ms | STILL urban design

Casa ms is the top floor of a multi-family housing building from the end of the 19th century, in downtown Porto, and an example directly conditioned by a context of pre-existence and successive interventions in its interior, throughout the 80s and 90s.

The minimal intervention respects the typological basis but adapts it to contemporary needs.

The importance of light is recognized and in the absence of a skylight, a set of attic windows for cross ventilation (and extra sunlight) appear, north and south, only possible with the elimination of 2.40m high ceilings, and thus exposing the preserved wooden structure with more than 100 years old. A new scale is thus defined, thanks to the reconfiguration of the typology: the common spaces are opened (hall, kitchen and living room), new functions are defined (small library and guest room), and the intimacy of the sleeping room is safeguarded (the only space that keeps a door). New furniture is designed to meet these new spaces configuration and old vintage pieces (family owned for generations) are kept preserving the history of the building. The terrace allows an overview over Porto ´s rooftops, summer sunbathing, sunset meetings and night-time stargazing.