From Run-Down Shopfront to Small Home, Portugal 50sqm/538sqft

I really wanted the feeling of a protected nest in between the street and the backyard. The project began with the idea of a flat as an extension of the city itself. Rather than sharp boundaries between interior and exterior, the intention was to soften them allowing the city to enter the space and the apartment to dissolve into its urban context, where I could feel a bit of nature and peace. I lived in a property for two years with my girlfriend and our son. I recently moved out and now my brother lives here. I am José, founder of José Studio and I'm an architect. This flat is located in Campo do Rico in Lisbon. The location is quite magic, it has everything we need within a 10-minute walk. There is also the beautiful Jardim da Estrela, one of the few gardens in Lisbon, located just in front of the stunning Basílica da Estrela. The building was constructed in 1958 and it's mainly residential, except for the ground floor which contains two commercial spaces, an art gallery and a coffee shop, as well as this flat, which was formerly used by the local council. The flat was quite disorganized, it was darker with smaller windows at the rear, while at the front there was one window and one door opening directly into the street. The interior lacked character and did not include a kitchen. The bathroom was in poor condition due to water and sewage leaks, and the area that now functions as a social space was originally split into two disconnected rooms with very little connection to the backyard. The project was structurally very conservative, it needed to be done with a very small budget, so the layout itself didn't change much. The only expressive demolition was the opening of the wall between the kitchen and the living room. The kitchen was designed and built from scratch, as it didn't previously exist, while the bathroom was fully renovated. A glass block wall was added at the entrance to create a separation between the street and the flat, providing an additional layer of protection. Let's play a game. It's hot here, in all the right ways. A little crazy, again, in all the right ways, but also sleek and sophisticated at the same time. And here people know how to do small footprint living better than anyone. Have you got it yet? Check out how designers Hun Wai and Olivia Lee transformed their zen-speak-easy apartment with stylish and clever camping gear. Get inspired by a brand of design that's unburdened by legacy and carving out its own language and identity. Take a tour of three very different apartments, one on wheels, one that conjures a balcony out of thin air, and another that embraces all of its awkward angles, and salivate over some comfortable furniture inspired by sugary sweet treats. Learn what fruitful living looks like for Des Chu and his team at 3D Concept Work. Marvel at the mystic world of Wolfsloth. And while you're at it, take a trip to hell. Singapore, you saucy minks, you've got it all. Subscribe now to get yours with free worldwide shipping. The main entrance is within the communal area of the building. When entering the flat, there is a nice entrance hole that can actually fit a few people comfortably. There is an IMS hang-it-all coat rack, and below it, a stool designed by 31 Studio, used when putting on shoes. I added an old mirror, and found a little storage unit on the street near the flat. It ended up being perfect to put keys, wallets, and shoes. The living room also serves as the dining area and forms part of an intimate triangle between the living room, kitchen, and backyard. One doesn't exist without the others. The three-seater sofa is from IKEA. It doesn't convert into a bed, but that hasn't stopped us from taking naps on it, and it can still work for guests. The bookshelves are freestanding IKEA units, and I love how the metal contrasts with the lime-plastered walls. The puffs were a present from my grandmother. We mostly use it as a footrest, but when friends come over, they can sit on them as well. The living room was our favorite space of the flat. The dining table was the most difficult piece of furniture to find. I won it in an online auction. It's an extendable dining table from the 60s, which can sit up to six people. It has a chromed base and a laminated wood tabletop, which I think really suits the style of the flat. The chairs were a present from a good friend who's also an architect. We chose a round table because we think it generates more space, and it's easier to put more people in a small area. I love kitchens, and I love to cook, and I really wanted a technical kitchen, easy to use, simple. I designed a stainless steel shelf to put jars, fruits, lights, candles, and below that, there are rails and hooks from IKEA to hang the kitchen tools. I like this technical side of the kitchen. It makes me want to use it. The under-counter cabinets are custom-made, and then I painted the door and drawer fronts. The lower part of the kitchen accommodates the oven, hob, sink, and hidden dishwasher. For the countertop, I chose lioche, a typical stone from the region, to match the existing chimney surrounds. On the opposite side, there is the fridge and the storage unit I found online and picked up just one block away from here. It matches the color of the new joinery. It is used to store food, cups, and other kitchen items. For the wall storage, instead of filling it up, I thought it would be nicer given the small area to free up that wall a bit to give a sense of lightness. The courtyard feels like the lung of the flat. What was a dark courtyard now feels more like a tropical hug. The planters and sitting area were designed for that purpose. The door is open probably 50% of the time, so the birds are usually the general soundtrack. The existing windowsill was standard height, so the window parapet was demolished and it was replaced for a bigger tilt window. The existing door was a double-leaf wooden door which opened to the inside. These changes allowed an extension of the indoor living space to the exterior. At night, the atmosphere changes completely. The soundtrack of birds is replaced by cutlery, conversation, and laughter, which come from an old local institution beyond that wall. It's such a great privilege to have a private space outside. Before the renovation, the office space was a shop, so the entrance from the street opened directly into the office. Inside, there's a glazed desk, while a full wall of curtains conceals a DIY storage system for hanging clothes. I introduced a curved glass block wall to create a buffer between the street front and the room. You can now sit in the room with the door open without feeling exposed. The small intervention completely transformed the atmosphere. The red metal gate can also be folded open. In many ways, it works like a balcony. My brother comes here every morning to read in the sun, the point where the home meets the neighborhood, allowing the street to become an extension of the flat. The main bedroom is the area with least intervention. Everything needed to be done on a tight budget, so I only changed the window frames and added security bars to get rid of the existing and heavy shutters. The curtain is slightly recessed, and instead of having a drying rack placed somewhere inside of the flat, this space between the curtain and the window is also used to hang and dry laundry. In order to soften up the room, I felt it needed quite a lot of fabrics. It now feels warmer and private, even though the space has a window towards the street. The double glazed aluminum framed windows were the largest investment in the project. Given the ground floor location of the flat, it felt essential for security, acoustic comfort, and thermal performance. For the bathroom, I wanted to make it stand out from the rest of the home, so I introduced some color. There's green mosaic tiles in the building's facade, so I sort of brought a similar tile and color to this room. But I don't know what came first, if it was that or the idea of a deep dive in a forest. I decided not to add a vanity around the sink, as I liked the simple floating look. Instead, I added a green IKEA display unit by the door, which actually stores a lot more stuff. We decided at the time it would be best to have a bathtub. You can always have a shower in a bathtub, but you can't have a bath in a shower. In the corridor, there is a laundry space, which is also the technical core of the house. The shelves were all DIY-ed by myself. The room is messy, but it's an important part of the house. There's a washing machine, boiler, and space for cleaning supplies. The floors are mostly original, except in the bathroom and backyard. I particularly love the zhuninga floor used in the kitchen and office. Even though the flat is small, our son loved it, and I have great memories of us laughing and running around here. I think there's a myth around small spaces. It's not really about scale. A small space can be a magical place too. And it makes more sense nowadays to talk about these ways of living. With the increasing price per square meter and the lack of space in the cities, I believe more people will seek this kind of living. Sign up to our newsletter for subscriber-only content and exclusive offers. Visit nevertosmall.com slash subscribe