2023 · Porto, Portugal · Commercial
Studio Patio
An architect's own workspace
Photography: Simão Ribeiro
Thepatiowasalreadythere.Webuiltthestudioarounditratherthanreplacingit—theopenskyisthemostimportantelementintheroom.
Specifications
The Site
A derelict narrow-fronted building in the historic Ribeira district. The existing structure was beyond repair — but the patio at the rear, approximately 18 square metres, was overgrown and forgotten beneath collapsed roofing. The first design decision was to treat the patio as the given and build the studio in response to it.
The Two Volumes
The workspace occupies the street-facing volume: a single deep room with a north-facing clerestory that provides consistent, shadowless light for drawing work. The meeting room occupies a smaller volume perpendicular to the workspace, opening through a full-height sliding door onto the patio. Neither volume is larger than it needs to be.
The patio is visible from every point in the studio. Even from the most enclosed corner of the workspace, the sky is present — a reminder that this is a practice that works with the outdoor world.
Designing one's own workspace is the most revealing architectural exercise. There are no clients to negotiate with, no brief to compromise against — only the unfiltered question of what environment produces the best thinking. The answer, for us, was small, quiet, and connected to the outside.
The north clerestory eliminates direct sun from the workspace entirely — important for screen work and for consistent colour rendering when reviewing drawings and material samples.
Specification // Architectural Drawings & Plans
Drawing Index & Spatial Sections
DWG // 01 // Ground Floor Plan
SCALE 1:100 @ A1
Primary spatial layout showing living courtyard integration and natural ventilation axis.
The ground plan prioritizes continuous indoor-outdoor flow, wrapping communal living spaces around an internal rainwater garden.
Material Palette
Polished Concrete
The floor and one wall of the workspace are poured concrete — thermally massive, easy to clean, and a neutral background for architectural models, samples, and drawings. The mass helps regulate temperature in the narrow urban building.
Existing Granite
The patio walls are the original granite of the historic building — consolidated rather than rebuilt. The texture of the old stone, worn by weather and time, is a daily reminder of the district's age and permanence.
Light Strategy
The north-facing clerestory provides shadow-free, consistent light throughout the workday — ideal for architectural work. The south-facing patio reflects warm afternoon light into the meeting room. The studio experiences light in two entirely different registers: cool and consistent in the workspace; warm and changing in the meeting room.
Site Response
The building sits within a UNESCO World Heritage zone. All new elements are set behind the historic street line. The facade reads as a restoration of the original narrow-fronted building; the patio and new volumes are entirely invisible from the street.
Spatial Archive
The patio — heart of the studio
Workspace, north clerestory light
SPATIAL EXPERIENCE
From the patio, the sky is framed by four walls — a composition that changes with weather, season, and hour. This is the studio's most important window.
Looking up from the patio
PROJECT TEAM & CREDITS
