client: Restaurante Gosta do Castelo
program: restaurant
location: Alfama, Lisbon, Portugal
conclusion year: 2018
architect in charge: António Costa Lima
team: Gonçalo Ghira, André Ribeiro, João Almeida, André Cunha
area: 70m²
photography: Francisco Nogueira - www.francisconogueira.com
Alfama is the oldest historical area of Lisbon. The geometry of its urban space with winding and narrow streets around the old St. George’s Castle, demonstrates the arab influence that was founder in the origin of this city.
The Costa do Castelo is one of these streets and has today a relevant touristic affluence.
The project is a consequence of this market recently increased by the elevation of the Lisbon status in the world tourist panorama.
The intervention comes to rehabilitate a shop abandoned for many years and aims to emphasize its most valuable constructive aspects from a historical and architectural point of view: namely the elegant mixed structure of iron and wood that supports the ground floor of the building, the hydraulic mosaic floor that is rehabilitated in its advanced degradation state and all the doors stonework (interior and exterior) that are cleaned and left in sight.
The branding and naming of the restaurant is included in the study. The street being one of the important icons of this neighborhood, it was decided to play with its name interacting with the passers-by creating a direct relation of the restaurant with the street.