Total Renovation Apartment in Foz do Douro

This is the interior renovation of a duplex apartment located on the top floor of a building from the early 1990s, located in the western part of the city, with good sun exposure and sea views.

Although spacious, the apartment was somewhat run-down, dark, and inhospitable. The trapezoidal shape of the plot itself resulted in irregular rooms.

Inside, the existence of several enclosed spaces, hallways, and doors created a feeling of confinement. Several false ceilings at different levels made the spaces unclear. The fixed furniture was heavy and outdated.

On the lower floor, there is an entrance hall, living room, service area, balcony, and two bedrooms. On the upper floor, there is another living room, two bedrooms, and two terraces.

The clients, a couple with three school-age children, wanted to equip the apartment with good visual, thermal, and acoustic comfort, as well as light and renovated bathrooms for everyone, one for each bedroom.

They also wanted to redesign the entire service area and create a small office area. There was not much demolition work on the walls, just a slight reorganization.

Thermal insulation was installed in the ceilings of the upper floor, on the roof of the building. The heating/cooling systems were reviewed, and more sustainable equipment was chosen.

The fixed furniture was dismantled and the existing false ceilings in the living rooms and bedrooms were removed, allowing for a more generous ceiling height and exposing the concrete structure. A wooden slat partition visually separates the entrance hall from the dining area, allowing natural light to pass through.