Portuguese architects Atelier RUA team up with Belgian interior designers Studio Stories to convert an old warehouse in the fishing town of Olhão, Portugal.
Translating to ‘House Two’, Casa Dois is the second of three boutique holiday homes by bespoke accommodation agency The Addresses. Each guesthouse by the hospitality brand sees the sensitive restoration of Islamic or Moorish structures, with a strong focus on preserving Portugal’s rich architectural past.
Located in Portugal’s Algarve region, Casa Dois’s whitewashed cuboid facade blends seamlessly with the surrounding architecture. Inside, Studio Stories were inspired by Portugal’s warm climate to create a sun-soaked, earthen palette that contrasts the white exterior and celebrates indoor-outdoor living.
Two restored arches along the back wall create a sense of continuity between the indoor and outdoor spaces. Atelier RUA restored an old fish depot from the former warehouse, transforming it into a marble plunge pool on the patio.
The simple floorplan honours age-old Portuguese living rituals, with an open plan living, dining and kitchen space on the first floor and two bedrooms with ensuites upstairs. A large patio on the ground floor was born from demolishing a part of the existing build, now transformed into a light-filled entertaining area. As Atelier RUA principal Francisco Freitas says, “this patio was intended to recreate the memory of the social and leisure experience of the typical Algarve house.”
Although the interiors were designed from scratch, Studio Stories made every effort to pursue authenticity. Terracotta tiles – a hallmark of Portuguese residential design – form the base of the home inside and outside, laid in a basketweave pattern. The all-white kitchen has a rustic sensibility, featuring a concealed butler’s pantry and open shelving displaying handmade trinkets. Designer pieces, including the Objekto Paulistano armchair are at home with bespoke furniture and colourful soft furnishings – an eclectic balance of interior styles.
It wouldn’t be a classic southern Portuguese home without a rooftop terrace. Complete with an outdoor bar and traditional bamboo pergola, the rooftop looks out across the city and the Ria Formosa lagoon.
Casa Dois celebrates the Portuguese way of life in a refreshing and contemporary setting, paying respect to the old town of Olhão through a considered design approach.
An original spiral staircase leads up to the private rooftop terrace.
The rooftop terrace features an outdoor kitchen, bar and traditional bamboo pergola.
