Casa do Engenho

Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal

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Casa M

Casa do Engenho

Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal

Firm

Silverline

Type

Residential › Private House

STATUS

Built

YEAR

2025

SIZE

5000 sqft - 10,000 sqft

BUDGET

$100K - 500K

Set within an agricultural estate in Vila Nova de Gaia, characterised by gentle rolling terrain, Casa do Engenho forms part of a built ensemble dating back to the early 18th century, comprising the main residence, cultivated areas, threshing floor, wells - one of them the former engenho - and several small ancillary buildings. This complementary volume, originally intended to host family gatherings and celebrations, displayed a rigid and compartmentalised layout that limited both its functionality and everyday use.

A temporary three-month stay in the former pool house, during works carried out in the main residence, revealed the latent potential of the space. This discovery prompted the transformation of the building, currently designated as Casa do Engenho.

The proposal is based on a complete interior transformation, while preserving the structural integrity and exterior architectural expression. The reading of the façade was clarified through the regularisation of its metric rhythm and the introduction of new shutters, ensuring comfort and flexibility in managing natural light. Although formally connected to the main residence, the building asserts autonomy and its own identity, adopting a more contemporary and contrasting architectural language. The intervention privileges visual permeability, natural light - particularly from the west - and a spatial continuity that redefines the way the house is inhabited.

The ground floor concentrates the social areas in a single continuous space: living room, dining room and kitchen unfold in a fluid, unified environment marked by the warm presence of wood. Sliding panels allow the relationship between kitchen and living areas to be adjusted, ensuring openness or privacy according to use. This level also includes a laundry room, pantry, guest bathroom, garage and the main suite, equipped with a walk-in closet, bathroom and a spa area with direct access to the exterior.

The upper floor accommodates two suites and a generous lounge, all opening onto balconies. The pitched roof incorporates strategically positioned skylights to guarantee natural illumination. It extends beyond the building’s perimeter, creating a covered outdoor area that broadens the use of the space while ensuring solar protection.

The original staircase was preserved and stands out as one of the project’s central and symbolic elements. The initial stone steps extend the entrance hall’s flooring and contrast with the remaining wooden steps, which introduce a lighter, contemporary counterpoint, giving rhythm and continuity to the route that links the social and private areas of the house.

The material palette relies on natural elements capable of establishing a dialogue with the pre-existence, while the interior spatiality emphasises continuity, fluidity and the relationship between inside and outside.

Following the intervention, the building ceases to play a merely complementary role to become the family’s main living space. Casa do Engenho re-emerges with vitality, meaning and comfort, honouring the memory of the place while projecting it into the future. Above all, it is a space designed to welcome the continuity of a family history, now reinterpreted through architecture.

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Casa do Engenho

Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal

Other Projects by Silverline

Casa M

Casa do Engenho

Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal

Product Spec Sheet

Collaborating Firms

Team