At the end of 2018, architect Maria Fradinho designed her own office and house with a steel structure on a 940 m² plot on the outskirts of Ílhavo, Portugal. The land is also “at the door” of Vista Alegre. It is a place that is actually quite popular with many architects. This is mainly because its name, due to its origin, resembles the Vista Alegre porcelain factory. This is one of the most important industries in the region. The factory inspired the house designer because the area is actually in high demand. She looked for references in industrial architecture to realize the house as a unified body. For this reason, she coated it with metallic materials and built the interior independently of its outer shell.
The “Arch House” follows the continuity of the neighboring buildings, with the main facade ensuring alignment with the overall appearance. However, it is stylized to allow the permeability of light and views in a symbolic game of association with the presence of the arch. This also marks the entrance to the town of Vista Alegre. This improvement creates the “crowning” of the facade and assumes itself as a child’s drawing.
The theatricality of the facade also gives the house with a steel structure its name, which, however, does not alone define it. The building recedes in relation to the city facade described and creates a semi-private space.
There is a front courtyard which is completely open planMain facade made of large glass windowsenabled. The terrace is the moment of rupture of the external environment and prepares us for the new reality of the interior. It is a bridge that connects two seemingly related but truly different realities.
The entrance hall resembles a small wooden box in which the residents and guests can feel cozy and welcome. Immediately afterwards we marvel at the light and the high ceiling of the living room.
It was important for the architects to ensure this transition process from the public to the private area and to ensure appropriate privacy inside the house due to the maximum desired brightness. Inspired by shipping containers, the volume with which the interior is developed creates an overall height in some areas that echoes the grand industrial environment of a capital ship.
Innovative room layout and design
The different ceiling heights expand the rooms, making them more comprehensive and providing a visual relationship between the different places in the house. This creates the feeling that a single space is taken up by smaller elements.
These are accordingly distributed throughout the building in a “sliding” motion along its length. This creates a rhythm that breaks the monotony of the building's external body in a lively way.
The rear façade is also lavishly completely glazed. This creates a relationship with the green backyard and also ensures a direct connection to the outside area. All boxes have the opportunity to relate to this facade with the same hierarchy, as they are all converted into one large window.
For structural reasons, the basement designed for the studio was not built. This decision forced an entire redesign. However, the minimal changes to the original project of the house were ensured.
The Arch House is therefore the combination of these three assumptions: The theatricality of the urban facade, the complexity of the ostensible use versus the industrial inspiration and the limits of conspiracy that make this house a complex and unique architectural gem.
