Palma Studios, situated in the Palma neighbourhood of Lisbon, Portugal, is a sustainable retrofit project transforming a late 19th-century farmhouse. This area is known for its village-scale charm and low density. The project preserves and restores the original building’s shell that was badly decaying, repurposing it into micro studios designed for student living.
© Lourenço T. Abreu
To optimise space, a new basement and loft level have been introduced. The layout features an interlocking three-dimensional puzzle of rooms with mezzanines accessed from double height corridors. The 19 en-suite units are supported by a communal kitchen, living space, roof terrace and laundry, as well as an external facing cafe that brings the student and local community together.
© Lourenço T. Abreu
The building seamlessly incorporates local façade shades of burnt yellow, bringing the outside environment indoors. This colour imparts a warm glow to spaces that would otherwise have somewhat limited daylight, due to maintaining the original window openings.
© João Guimarães
Lightweight perforated metal interventions are located throughout the building, allowing light to filter through and creating visual connections between spaces, whilst unifying the design and creating a sense of continuity. This lightness contrasts with the white-painted thick masonry walls and exposed concrete ceilings. The building’s exterior envelope has been restored and its original architecture was preserved to celebrate its local character within the area.
Project Info
Architects: Barbosa Mateus Arquitetos, andre kong studio
Country: Portugal, Lisboa
Area: 685 m²
Year: 2023
Photographs: João Guimarães, Lourenço T. Abreu
Engineering: Strong Motion
Installations: CPX Consultadoria e Projetos
Contractor: Details Mind
