The building is located in the Historical Area, in the Strategic Block 13007 – Sousa Viterbo. In the corner of Mouzinho da Silveira street with Largo de São Domingos and it is named after the 07 Building Unit Intervention, occupying the integrity of the lot.
It has two fronts, with its noble façade to the East on Mouzinho da Silveira street, a façade to the North on Largo de São Domingos.
The building from the end of the 19th century / beginning of the 20th century, is in a good state of conservation, in both its facades, also the walls against neighboring buildings and another internal structural wall, were not even cracking or arching in its main walls, remaining perfect in its vertical planes.
With the exception of the ground floor occupied by a banking agency with entrance from Mouzinho da Silviera street, the remaining floors were abandoned. They had been occupied over the years by housing and offices, as usual in the center of Porto. Since, in general, the building was in a less favorable state of conservation, with a quick intervention, however, some of its structural elements could still be preserved.
The the building was totally rehabilitated, the current store to continue the Banking Agency was recovered, and in a probable future to serve wether commerce, services or restaurants.
The building has good characteristics for quality housing, allowing the development of a solid solution for residential apartments, which is far from the tiny typologies implemented in this area for tourist use.
The intention fits within a philosophy of restoration of the building for 4 quality apartments, independent by floor, and a trade store.
The facade was preserved, without altering the height of the roofs, nor any alteration of its implantation or volumetry. Therefore, the facade will remain in granite stone and plaster, with its guards of wrought iron restored and painted; the window frames replaced in enamelled wood, according to the original design.
As the roofs maintain their original shape, the height, the eaves and gutters designs, there were introduced only occasional lanterns for light entry.
The exterior walls are washed and brushed with water under pressure using neutral detergents.
The windows and balcony door frames in painted wood, reproducing the existing design as much as possible, with the original carpentry details, over double glazing.
The railings of balconies and windows are treated and painted with ferruginous incorporated paint.
The existing skylight to enlight the main staircase of the building, was redesigned with the aim of constituting an autonomous fraction on the top floor, around it, preventing from shutting the lighting, ventilation and smoke exhaust provided by this element to the circulation space.
An elevator is implemented between metal profiles, which will serve from the ground floor to the 4th floor, for greater comfort for residents.
As for the slab structure of the building, the existing elements are used, preserving the original slabs whenever possible.
Promoting the treatment of the wooden beams, its structure is preserved, laying on these new wooden ceilings, which will be al sight and on which all the insulation and network of the upper apartment floors are launched.
The 3rd and 4th floor slabs are redone in a new integral wooden structure in the same lines of the old construction methods, avoiding overloading the existing walls and foundations. These aspects not only enhance an aesthetic concept but also allow the building the ability to “breathe”, bringing benefits to the apartments’ living.
The main stairwell carpentry will be fully preserved and recovered, as will the shutters of all the original windows and portals of the building.
The interior walls, in double crossed plasterboard, interspersed with 70kg rock wool, so that its weight does not affect the structure.