Caminha, refurbishing an apartment

At some time or another we've all needed to renovate a home, either because we're about to move in or because we want to glam up our own home. The work of Portuguese architect Tiago do Vale, Caminha Refurbishment plays with the creation of spaces in the space.

You know those ugly apartments by the sea, the real little holes where you spend your holiday just because it's a tourist spot? These form the basis for the makeover by Portuguese architect Tiago do Vale of a small, 40-square metre apartment in Caminha, in the far north of Portugal on the Spanish border, where he has opted for design and sustainable solutions that have turned it into a great place to live for another 30 years.
Tiago do Vale opened up this 1980s apartment by knocking down walls that just used up the already scant space available. The client's brief was to keep the original layout of spaces, on a low budget, so in order to structure the apartment and keep it in tune with those needs, the architect created a functional cobalt blue volume inside. This coloured cube incorporates the door into the apartment and at the same time encompasses the kitchen cabinetry. It opens onto a small floor and wall-tiled dining room, and even incorporates the bathroom.
The bright colour contrasts with the dominant white in the rest of the house and together with the original timber floor from thirty years ago, it's a very graphic wink to the taste of the '80s.
A simple sliding wall separates the bedroom from the living area, again to save room and to make it adaptable as both an open space and for a more traditional configuration. 
Tiago do Vale skilfully applied a few little tricks of the trade to completely change the perception of this small apartment that now greets holidaymakers with light and joy. It's not the liveable area that counts, it's what you do with it. 

Christiane Bürkleiin

ARCHITECTURE Tiago do Vale Architects
ARCHITECTURE TEAM Tiago do Vale, María Cainzos Osinde, Hugo Quintela, Louane Papin
PROJECT YEAR 2016
PROGRAM Residential
LOCATION Caminha, Portugal
CONSTRUCTION YEAR 2016
CONSTRUCTION AREA 430 ft2 (40 m2)
PHOTOGRAPHY João Morgado