PHOTOGRAPHY: LEONARDO FINOTTI WRITER: EMMA O’KELLY
Azulejos, or patterned tiles, have adorned Lisbon’s
churches, palaces and houses since the 16th century.
They are as central to the Portuguese capital as salted
cod and custard tarts, and provide a visual guide to its
history, each decorative style indicative of a particular
decade. Businesses small and large, from side-street
ateliers and stall holders at the Feira da Ladra lea
market to established dealers such as Cortiço & Netos
(which has more than 900 vintage styles in its
collection), trade in the celebrated ceramics.
On the crest of a hill in the salubrious district
of Lapa, one particular tiled façade shines brighter
than the rest. It’s covered in striped tiles that, when
their corners are put together, form multicoloured
squares and stars. They are from the 1930s, and the
same designs appear on the Elevador da Bica, the
funicular station in downtown Lisbon. These,
though, look as good as new thanks to a renovation
last year that transformed what was a shabby
apartment block into a family home.
In many districts of Lisbon, word of mouth or
a plain white sheet of paper in the window indicate
when a property is up for grabs. Local architect
Inês Lobo heard the block was for sale and she took
her clients, a Portuguese couple with three children,
to view it. They fell in love with its splendid views
and with Lapa’s sleepy feel and bought it straight away.
The renovation was set to begin when a chance
meeting changed everything. The owner, on a work
trip to São Paulo, stopped by Galeria Leme to see some
art. There he was introduced to the gallery’s owner
Eduardo Leme and its architect, Paulo Mendes da Rocha.
When he heard Lobo was involved in remodelling
a house in Lisbon, Mendes da Rocha agreed to
collaborate. The pair have been friends for 20 years;
he was familiar with the schools and civic buildings »∑ 075
Tiles of the unexpected in the Portuguese capital
A bigger splash
In Residence
THE BACK OF THE PROPERTY
IN LISBON’S LAPA DISTRICT
HAS BEEN COMPLETELY
REMODELLED IN CONCRETE
AND NOW FEATURES
A POOL TERRACE AND AN
ORIGAMI-LIKE CORNER
WINDOW FRAMING VIEWS
OF THE ESTUARY