RUA DAS JANELAS

Behind a restored Porto façade, Rua das Janelas transforms a narrow historic townhouse into a vertical journey shaped by changing natural light.

Located on a narrow street in Porto’s historic centre, Rua das Janelas reimagines a nineteenth-century townhouse through light rather than large-scale structural intervention. Atelier Linha Norte retained the original granite façade, masonry walls and timber floor structure while reorganising the 386-square-metre residence around a new central lightwell. The house is arranged vertically, with spaces becoming progressively brighter and more open towards the upper levels. Service areas and a guest suite occupy the lower floor, while the primary living spaces are positioned above the surrounding rooftops. At the centre of the plan, a sculptural oak staircase rises alongside the lightwell. Handmade ceramic tiles line selected walls, reflecting changing patterns of daylight through the interior. The main living level brings together the kitchen, dining area and lounge beneath the restored timber roof structure. Large sliding glass panels open onto a secluded rooftop courtyard filled with Mediterranean planting. Material interventions remain deliberately restrained. Existing granite is left exposed in selected areas, while lime plaster, Portuguese oak, brushed brass and handmade tiles introduce warmth and texture. Natural ventilation moves through the central void, drawing cooler air from lower levels and releasing warm air through operable roof glazing. Rua das Janelas demonstrates how a historic urban house can evolve without losing its architectural memory. Rather than competing with the original structure, each new intervention is designed to reveal it—creating a residence where movement through the house becomes a gradual transition from shadow to light.