A panel of seven renowned architects recently came together to decide upon the 13th annual Tile of Spain Awards, presented by ASCER. This year’s Tile of Spain Architecture Award was presented to the project entitled House in Principe Real created by Vasco Correia and Patricia Sousa from the CAMARIM Arquitectos studio.
Located just yards away from the Garden of Principe Real in Lisbon, Portugal, a 441 square foot plot of land was home to the construction of the small, 5 story urban family home. The small plot of land led to a unique architectural scheme, where every floor had a different function and layout. Each floor was connected through a vertical atrium of different lengths, which provided a naturally lit progressive route throughout the home. This atrium doubled as a thermal chimney for passive cooling during spring and summer months, as well as allowing for air renewal throughout the year.
The exterior of the building was made up completely of tiles to cover the original decaying skin. The tiles were transformed into an abstract pattern by layering a flat-tile base, a bas-relief-tile body, and then a perforated-steel, light-permeable entablature. As a result, light shines through these patterned tiles.
Photos: Nelson Garrido
Since a traditional concrete or steel structure would be difficult in such a small construction site, the architects opted for a light steel construction system (LSF) for optimum thermal and acoustic performance. With walls as thin as 3.5 inches, it is the first building in Lisbon to be made with this system.
Congratulations, again, CAMARIM Arquitectos studio for your brilliant use of ceramic tiles!
For more Tile of Spain updates, be sure to follow us on social media: Facebook, Twitter, Google Plus and Pinterest.