The House with the Portals

The new intervention merges part of the existing rooms and creates new spatial connections to form a cohesive common space that serves as living, gathering, and vestibule space. Each transition from one space to another acts as a time ‘portal’, creating a very special atmosphere that offers an unique experience incorporating both the exposed hidden past and the new life. Living spaces are crafted with light and a combination of cohesive materials, aiming to create a visual canvas, highlighting the preserved elements and textures of the historic house.

The main challenge of the design process was finding the right balance between the contemporary life needs of the clients and the preservation, reveal, and exposition of the historical fabric and unique character and spirit of the old house. The original structure consisted of various structural materials dating from different building periods – adobe bricks, clay bricks, different types of stone, and, typical for the local building tradition – rough and irregular timber construction. The project aimed to keep as much of the original, revealing the ‘honest’ beauty and unintentional sustainability statement of the past building processes. The search for the most gentle and moderate combination of the new materials that needed to highlight and, at the same time, to complement the various existing original ones was also a matter of careful consideration. During the implementation of the design, a lot of changes had to occur. The more that was revealed from the old structure more the project had to adapt.

Through the juxtaposition of contrasting spaces and materials, the project reveals new visual and thematic connections. The result is a spatial dissection allowing us to appreciate the original structure of the old house, which would otherwise be hidden. The exposed historic construction creates a museum-like feeling as in various parts of the house, we see preserved imprints of textures and materials. This honest exposure of the historic skeleton and imprints intends to recreate spatial "portals" which highlight themes of time and impermanence. Following the historic layering, the new intervention is honest in using contemporary materials, marking our time within the stratification of the house. This imprint aims for both material and intangible expression through the skills of local craftsmen. Part of the attic space has been utilized play area for the children. Newly added portholes and roof windows offer a visual link between the outside environment and life in the house.