Apartment building at Rua de Olivença no. 1 / 1A - Architect unknown

This building on the Rua de Olivença is a real surprise. From the front side you don’t suspect the spatial quality and rhythmic of the facade, that you will experience when you approach the building from the other side of the block. Playful, with elegant balconies - as far as they are not closed by windowframes - and beautiful views into the escape staircases.

Despite all of tis, the quality of the composition of the open and closed surfaces of the balustrades and the swinging sunblocks are still visible. At the ground floor apartments, the wooden frames and traditional sun blinds are particularly striking because of their traditional finish that gives the 'modern' building a different look.

This roof is designed as a small landscape. It consists of light concrete structures, made of bent canopies on sloping columns. Other canopies have closed and half-open surfaces through which filtered light enters and are pierced - very surprisingly - by traditional Algarvian chimneys. Samba music for the eye.

Photographs: Cláudia Perdigão, Jose Ramirez, Urgélia Santos e John Shepherd