Original 19th Century Apartment

Located on the fifth floor of a residential building from 1819, the property is a holdover from Lisbon’s Pombalin era, an architectural style that emerged in the 18th century after a major earthquake struck the city in 1755. The apartment called Lapa has been subtly redesigned by Studio Gameiro from the region to enhance its historical heritage while harmoniously introducing contemporary features. Aged frescoes and exposed wooden ceilings make up for new floors and furnishings in the Lisbon apartment.

The apartment is divided into two separate zones and consists of a private area that houses the bedrooms and a rear social area that houses the living and dining room. The latter zone has a new concrete floor inlaid with narrow blocks of white, gray and pink marble. The pieces of natural stone are arranged as the studio describes as “free and yet orderly”. They are intended as a reference for Mediterranean terraces, which are typically paved with marble waste.

The restrained aesthetic is characterized by the kitchen, which is equipped with light cabinets, and the bathroom, which has a simple metal sink and an open shower. A series of arched, glazed openings have been made in the front view of the living room to allow views over the surrounding rooftops and access to a small outdoor balcony. Lavishly rimmed 19th century frescoes have been preserved in the apartment’s three bedrooms, although they have now faded. All three rooms also have restored Riga pine floorboards that have remained untreated and match the unfinished quality of the walls.

In the smaller bedroom, the studio has made a bespoke double bed frame with a wooden sideboard – this can be folded down to form a short walkway through which the resident can reach the rear window and climb to the balcony.