The Body – Praia da Poça is a residential undertaking in Estoril, Portugal, by ARX Portugal Arquitectos. Designed in 2025, it rehabilitates a vacant 1921 home and provides two semi-detached houses, forming a four-unit advanced close to the seafront. Restored tile, stonework, and render distinguish the historic constructing, whereas uncovered concrete and zinc give the brand new quantity a clearly up to date character.
About The Body – Praia da Poça
The Body – Praia da Poça addresses a layered residential web site close to the seafront by way of two associated operations: the rehabilitation and extension of a 1921 home and the development of two new semi-detached houses. Collectively, they kind a four-unit advanced on an irregular plot of roughly 1,600 sq. meters (17,222 sq. toes).
The present home, generally known as Casal São João Batista, seems within the municipal architectural heritage stock as a related instance of the seaside vacation structure related to this coastal frontage. Vacant and deteriorated after many years with out ample upkeep, it turns into the historic anchor for the broader undertaking.
Restoring the 1921 Home
The intervention retains and repairs the unique constructing’s exterior façades whereas reorganizing its inside. Two unbiased three-bedroom residences occupy the construction, every extending throughout two flooring above the doorway stage and right into a transformed attic.
Its architectural character stays legible by way of the restoration of the ceramic tile roof, stonework, and rendered façades. Quite than treating the previous home as a indifferent artifact, the undertaking provides it an energetic residential position throughout the new improvement. The preservation work and inner modifications proceed collectively, balancing inherited options with present expectations for consolation, perform, and on a regular basis use.
Constructing Alongside the Slope
A second quantity occupies the western facet of the east–west sloping plot. It incorporates two semi-detached four-bedroom homes, once more organized over two flooring with transformed attics. Every residence connects instantly to non-public parking within the basement.
The position of this constructing follows an evaluation of the encompassing city material, together with prevailing constructing volumes, ground counts, setbacks, and residential sorts. Its scale and place reply to these established circumstances with out copying the structure of the older home.
Outdated and New Supplies
Materials variations make the sequence of building clear. Tile, stone, and render outline the restored constructing, whereas the brand new homes use uncovered concrete and a zinc roof. This distinction permits the up to date addition to register as a definite intervention whereas sustaining the broader proportions and density of its setting.
The connection relies upon much less on visible imitation than on managed massing. The historic construction retains its recognizable exterior options; the western quantity adopts its personal building and expression throughout the identical residential ensemble.
A Shared Floor Aircraft
Beneath grade, a standard basement connects all 4 models and accommodates personal parking, storage rooms, and technical areas. Consolidating these features beneath the buildings leaves many of the exterior floor out there for pedestrians and planting.
Shared inexperienced areas prolong throughout the plot, and a swimming pool sits to the south, the place it relates visually to the close by seafront. These communal areas set up continuity between the restored home and the brand new pair of residences whereas preserving the independence of every dwelling.
The undertaking brings 4 up to date dwellings to the location with out erasing its earlier chapter. Its measured distinction between restored material and new building provides the 1921 home a renewed place throughout the altering Estoril shoreline.
Images by Ivo Tavares Studio
Go to ARX Portugal Arquitectos
– by Matt Watts
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