A Barn House Turned Into a Bright Contemporary Home in Monte Real, Portugal

Barn House is a bright contemporary home located in Monte Real, Portugal. It was designed by Ines Brandao, originally a barn, offers a dining-cum-living area with an L-shaped gray sofa, and a staircase main to the mezzanine floor above.

by Ciprian Jun 28, 2020 17 Images

Barn House by Ines Brandao

Recovering a building with 50 years – half housing, half barn.

The aim is to maintain existing memories from a space that, once, was the stage to such varied experiences – rural stories mixed with stories of young people from a controversial time.

In the presence of such a special place, as the barn, is chosen to protect it and elect it as the protagonist of the new home of a young growing family.

A single new element is inserted in this space, almost like a furniture piece, that idea is accentuated by its own materiality – painted OSB. With a very small budget (the other goal), it is essential to create a compact element, bringing together all the new functions – kitchen, toilets, storage and staircase.

This “furniture” is fundamental in the compartmentalization of the social area of the ground floor, dividing the space between entrance area, living room, dining area and kitchen. The top floor, which served in other times, for drying grain, is overlooking the social area and works as a retreat space and working area.