José Adrião Arquitectos is an architectural practice based in Lisbon, Portugal. In this project they transformed former community housing into the city's cultural hub.
The architects preserved the façade of the building, appreciating its strong presence in the urban fabric of the area, but had to demolish the whole interior to create space for the cultural life to flourish.
"The proposal has as its goal the transformation of a housing unit located at Largo da Severa, Mouraria distric, Lisbon, into a cultural equipment called Casa da Severa. Casa da Severa features a café/restaurant that can be accessed directly from the square by a staircase, which acts as a continuation of the public space. One of the walls of its interior is prepared for video projection. The ground-floor is where technical areas are located, kitchen, lavatory and storage. On warm days, fado can be sung on the upper outdoor landing, transforming it into a stage that opens towards the square and into the city."
