fala atelier transforms former warehouse into 'the house of many faces' in portugal

a house of many faces by Fala Atelier

The House of Many Faces, designed by Porto-based architectural studio fala atelier, repurposes a sprawling warehouse into a spacious residence in Portugal. Originally serving as offices and storage, the building’s structure reveals two distinct sections: a conventional front facing the street with a dull facade and disorganized rooms and an expansive rear area under a gable roof supported by sturdy wooden beams. The design strategy focused on dividing the interior into different sections to improve organization. Thus, five separate facets were identified and individually addressed, contributing to the overall layout.

all images by Francisco Ascensão, Giulietta Margot, Rory Gardiner, Ivo Tavares, Matilde Viegas, fala

Creating Distinct Spaces and Harmonious Atmosphere

The design team at fala atelier (see more here) created an inner courtyard to split the building into two parts, with the front accommodating small apartments while the former warehouse becomes a grand living area, defined by a curved wall. The five facets of the building are treated as a unified whole, each with its own character yet sharing common features. A grid of black dots organizes the concrete structures and outlines the facades. Consistent features like windows, yellow doors, green shutters, and glass bricks define different spaces within the home, creating a diverse yet harmonious atmosphere. In this way, the former warehouse embodies versatility, earning its nickname as the House of Many Faces.

a vast space under a gable roof supported by heavy wooden beams

transforming a former warehouse into a spacious home

the structure of the existing building suggests two parts

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project info:

name: house of many faces

architects: fala atelier | @fala.atelier
team: filipe magalhães, ana luisa soares, ahmed belkhodja, lera samovich, ana lima, rute peixoto, joão carlos lopes
project team: paulo sousa (engineering), mp+pf (engineering), joão magalhães (landscape), civiflanco (contractor)

location: Porto, Portugal
dates: 2017-2022
photography: francisco ascensão, giulietta margot, rory gardiner, ivo tavares, matilde viegas, fala