Intrinsic exceptions. House within three gestures by fala
03/01/2024.
[Gondomar] Portugal
metalocus, ADELA BONAS, JORGE MARTINEZ
metalocus, ADELA BONAS, JORGE MARTINEZ
Architecture studio fala was commissioned to design a suburban house located on an irregular plot, whose shape was determined by some displacements and alignments, located on the corner of the outskirts of the city of Gondomar, belonging to the Greater Metropolitan Area of Porto, in Portugal.
The position of the plot and its shape suggested the generation of a kind of grid, which guaranteed a division between the private and the public. With these conditions, the house is developed in three gestures: grid division, inclined roof, and curved perimeter wall.
The position of the plot and its shape suggested the generation of a kind of grid, which guaranteed a division between the private and the public. With these conditions, the house is developed in three gestures: grid division, inclined roof, and curved perimeter wall.
House within three gestures by fala. Photograph by Francisco Ascensão.
House within three gestures by fala. Photograph by Francisco Ascensão.
House within three gestures by fala. Photograph by Francisco Ascensão.
House within three gestures by fala. Photograph by Francisco Ascensão.
House within three gestures by fala. Photograph by Francisco Ascensão.
House within three gestures by fala. Photograph by Francisco Ascensão.
House within three gestures by fala. Photograph by Francisco Ascensão.
House within three gestures by fala. Photograph by Francisco Ascensão.
House within three gestures by fala. Photograph by Francisco Ascensão.
House within three gestures by fala . Photograph by Francisco Ascensão.
House within three gestures by fala . Photograph by Francisco Ascensão.
House within three gestures by fala . Photograph by Giulietta Margot.
House within three gestures by fala . Photograph by Giulietta Margot.
House within three gestures by fala . Photograph by Giulietta Margot.
House within three gestures by fala . Photograph by Giulietta Margot.
Site plan. House within three gestures by fala.
Floor plan. House within three gestures by fala.
Floor plan. House within three gestures by fala.
Floor plan. House within three gestures by fala.
Volume perspective. House within three gestures by fala.
Volume perspective. House within three gestures by fala.
Volume perspective. House within three gestures by fala.
Volume perspective. House within three gestures by fala.
Collage. House within three gestures by fala.
Collage. House within three gestures by fala.
Collage. House within three gestures by fala.
Collage. House within three gestures by fala.
The house designed by fala is a home generated by the volume resulting from the set of two figures: an inclined semicircle, accompanied by a stylized needle. The side facing the street shows a uniform alignment of openings that reflect the grid of interior rooms, placing the curve on the opposite side embracing the common part of the house and perforated with a single window.
The living space results from a series of elaborate intersections. Each surface is accounted for and celebrated with grids and orders, although exceptions are generated in some elements of the interior. The colorful and cheerful volume challenges its banal surroundings, generating a leaning, curved, and broken house.
A radical, conceptual morphological composition without concessions to the informal, which identifies the architecture of these Portuguese architects: "Once again, the house is confused with a gallery, a shop or a chapel."
House within three gestures by fala. Photograph by Francisco Ascensão.
Volume perspective. House within three gestures by fala.
The living space results from a series of elaborate intersections. Each surface is accounted for and celebrated with grids and orders, although exceptions are generated in some elements of the interior. The colorful and cheerful volume challenges its banal surroundings, generating a leaning, curved, and broken house.
A radical, conceptual morphological composition without concessions to the informal, which identifies the architecture of these Portuguese architects: "Once again, the house is confused with a gallery, a shop or a chapel."
House within three gestures by fala. Photograph by Francisco Ascensão.
Volume perspective. House within three gestures by fala.
Description of project by fala
A corner suburban plot for a one-level suburban house. A misshapen parcel dictated a few offsets and alignments, a typical array of bedrooms suggested a grid of sorts, and a split of private and public was to be ensured. Following that, the roof is tilted, the perimeter wall is curved, and the main division is broken—the house is played out within three gestures. Secondary spaces find their way behind the stepped line, producing a series of exceptions, while a laundry room jumps out of its perimeter and becomes a tower.
The volume is an assemblage of two figures—the tilted half-circle is accompanied by a slender spire. The two surfaces of the same color never meet. White, black, and blue revolve around the complex form. A pink triangular chimney lands on top of the slanted roof. The street side displays an even lineup of openings reflecting the grid of rooms behind it. The curve is punctuated just once allowing for a window in the living space. On the inside, the palette of materials is concise and orderly. White walls run in between wooden floors and concrete ceilings. The key edges are accented with stripes of dark wood.
Once again, the house is mistaken for a gallery, a shop, or a chapel. The living space results from a series of elaborate intersections. Every surface is accounted for and celebrated. Grids, orders, and exceptions are ensured. A colourful perky volume challenges its banal surroundings. A house is tilted, curved, and broken.
More information
Architects
fala. Filipe Magalhães, Ana Luisa Soares, Ahmed Belkhodja, Julia Andreychenko.
Project team
Design team.- Filipe Magalhães, Ana Luisa Soares, Ahmed Belkhodja, Lera Samovich, Ana Lima, Joana Sendas, João Carlos Lopes, Anna Murisasco, Carina Pannatier.
Project team.- Paulo Sousa (engineering), mp+pf (engineering), Mribeiro (contractor).
Project team.- Paulo Sousa (engineering), mp+pf (engineering), Mribeiro (contractor).
Client
Private.
Area
site area.- 500 sqm.
gross floor area.- 180 sqm.
gross floor area.- 180 sqm.
Dates
design.- 2020
completion.- 2021.
completion.- 2021.
Location
Gondomar, Portugal.
Photography
Francisco Ascensão, Giulietta Margot, Ivo Tavares.
Atelier Fala
Fala Atelier is a naïve architecture practice based in Porto, led by Filipe Magalhães, Ana Luisa Soares and Ahmed Belkhodja. Established in 2013, the atelier works with methodic optimism on a wide range of projects, from territories to birdhouses.
Filipe Magalhães (Porto, 1987) graduated in architecture at faculdade de arquitectura do Porto and Fakulteta za Arhitekturo in Ljubljana; wrote the thesis ‘between the abstract and the figurative’. Worked with Harry Gugger in Basel and Aanaa in Tokyo. Visiting professor at Bratislava’s faculty of architecture.
Ana Luisa Soares (Porto, 1988) graduated in architecture at faculdade de arquitectura do Porto and Tokyo university; wrote the thesis ‘The matter of ideas’. Worked with Harry Gugger in Basel and Toyo Ito in Tokyo. Visiting professor at Bratislava’s faculty of architecture.
Ahmed Belkhodja (Lausanne, 1990) graduated in architecture at ETH Zurich after having also studied in Lausanne, Gothenburg and Singapore; worked with Harry Gugger in Basel, Obra architects in New York, and Atelier Bow-wow in Tokyo.
Filipe Magalhães (Porto, 1987) graduated in architecture at faculdade de arquitectura do Porto and Fakulteta za Arhitekturo in Ljubljana; wrote the thesis ‘between the abstract and the figurative’. Worked with Harry Gugger in Basel and Aanaa in Tokyo. Visiting professor at Bratislava’s faculty of architecture.
Ana Luisa Soares (Porto, 1988) graduated in architecture at faculdade de arquitectura do Porto and Tokyo university; wrote the thesis ‘The matter of ideas’. Worked with Harry Gugger in Basel and Toyo Ito in Tokyo. Visiting professor at Bratislava’s faculty of architecture.
Ahmed Belkhodja (Lausanne, 1990) graduated in architecture at ETH Zurich after having also studied in Lausanne, Gothenburg and Singapore; worked with Harry Gugger in Basel, Obra architects in New York, and Atelier Bow-wow in Tokyo.
Categories
Our selection
