RS Apartment | António Rosa da Silva

The location is Setúbal, a medium sized Portuguese city facing the Atlantic. The client wanted to re-design a traditional apartment to meet a custom style. The apartment is relatively small, so the focus was in storage space, after some research on boat interiors construction we decide to incorporate some of the principles in the design. The space is divided between two main areas, the social space and the private space, separating the two, a longitudinal multi-functional wood wall serves as storage space and access to the house private space. We also decide that if the different functional spaces of the house, kitchen and bathrooms, were to feel less like a discrete space and more like a ‘free floating container’ the space would seem more loft like. We wanted to create the illusion of space, so the walls of this container-like spaces don´t quite touch the ceiling. To amplify this, we lowered some ceilings at different heights to enable spatial relations in the open space created. Color plays a role, elements that stand-out, the bathroom ventilation pipes and the mail separator in the entrance where painted with light blue, contrasting with the dark wood wall, the entrance were painted by Portuguese artist Ana Morgado in the fresco technique. The private spaces include two bedrooms connected with a small hallway, the open bathroom fitted with black and white graphics stands in the middle. Some furniture and lighting were custom made for the apartment following the principles developed for the entire design. Lastly, there is the exterior veranda, which resumes the maritime tonus of the design with the wood deck and chrome boat fittings. We wanted to create an interior space that could be easily assimilated from the moment you enter with a renewed sense of space, with a consistent style and detail and as close as possible to the first premise: a place where one can inhabit.