Riverside Condominium, MJARC Arquitetos was invited to rehabilitate a building that has punctuated the landscape of Santa Comba Dão for more than 20 years. The rehabilitation of this building aims to preserve the existing building rather than simply demolishing it and starting over. The design team and developers decided to achieve an ambitious goal: to reuse the existing building as much as possible and establish a new, high quality standard in the adaptive reuse of the building.
© Garcês
The objective to be achieved is to maintain more than 90% of the original structure (beams, columns and slabs) and 75% of the original core, resulting in embodied carbon savings.
© Garcês
This residential building will have 4 floors above ground and will consist of 28 apartments with types ranging from T2 to T3. Located on the slope of the Dão River, it will offer a panoramic view of the surrounding área.
© Garcês
The facade of the building is made of Bamboo wood from responsible forests with international LEED, BREEAM and FSC certification.
© Garcês
The building’s zinc roof allows the creation of shading areas in the terrace areas, reinforcing the horizontality of the building.
Project Info
Architects: MJARC Arquitectos
Country: Portugal, Santa Comba Dão
Area: 4000 m²
Year: 2024
Photographs: Garcês
Manufacturers MOSO, Technal, Porcelanosa Grupo, VMZINK: MOSO
Landscape Architects: Gonçalo Reis Torrado
Acoustics Consultants: Ambiteste
Structure Engineers: Ambiestudos
Sophie Tremblay is a Montreal-based architectural editor and designer with a focus on sustainable urban development. A McGill University architecture graduate, she began her career in adaptive reuse, blending modern design with historical structures. As a Project Editor at Arch2O, she curates stories that connect traditional practice with forward-thinking design. Her writing highlights architecture's role in community engagement and social impact. Sophie has contributed to Canadian Architect and continues to collaborate with local studios on community-driven projects throughout Quebec, maintaining a hands-on approach that informs both her design sensibility and editorial perspective.