Casa Na Estrela, designed by Aires Mateus, stands out like a grey concrete monolith in an old and colorful neighborhood
We are in Portugal, in Lisbon, and Casa Na Estrela is located in the traditional neighborhood of the same name. In the recent minimalist project by studio Aires Mateus, concrete is the prevailing material also in the finishes of both indoor and outdoor surfaces.
Casa Na Estrela stands out against the urban landscape thanks to an architectural language that eschews any decoration, favoring clean-cut lines contrasting with the surroundings.
This is a minimal house for a family that includes different generations; it looks like an “alien” if compared to the houses and buildings of the neighborhood.
It represents a reinterpretation of the traditional terraced house that redefines its aesthetics both outdoors and indoors. Starting from the outside, it can be easily seen that concrete is the predominant element, able to exert a strong visual impact: the architects have chosen Novacem by Novacolor for the façades, an acrylic anti-carbonation (the natural process that attacks the walls from outside) coating. Indoors, floors are covered in Wall2Floor by Novacolor.
An eye-catching element is the roof: a partially enclosed sculptural space that houses a spherical swimming pool and allows one to observe the 18th century basilica of Estrela and the Tagus river from above.
The house is divided into three levels allowing parents and adult children to live independently under the same roof, sharing some spaces. The project has been carried out with Portuguese Novacolor partner TDRV.
Concrete walls are exposed and contrast with light-colored wooden panels and curved walls that soften an otherwise cold space for daily life. [Text Valentina Dalla Costa]
