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São Mamede House
São Mamede House is a residence located in
the old town of Lisbon. Portuguese architects
Manuel Aires Mateus and Sofia Pinto Basto
transformed the ground and basement levels
of this ageing 18th century residential
building, modernising with sensitivity for
its past. Walls and ceilings were painted
white to highlight historic elements including
flooring, pilasters and arches made of stone.
The original layout, a series of rooms without
corridors, allowed for the creation of larger
open spaces that flow into one another. A two-
storey extension was added at the rear, a
simple white box with large windows overlooking
the communal garden, creating a visual dialogue
with the cityscape and Tagus river beyond. An
underground cistern, which the team discovered
during renovations, was transformed into a
living space illuminated by natural light
spilling down through an aperture above. The
design harmoniously combines original features
with modern interventions, invites movement
throughout the spaces, harnesses natural light,
establishes a relationship with the outdoors,
and utilises solid, honest materials.
