McLean Quinlan gives family townhouse in Lisbon a homelier feel
Scaled-down living spaces and Douglas fir joinery help bring a more intimate feel to this townhouse in Lisbon that's been revamped by British architecture practice McLean Quinlan and features an artwork by Anish Kapoor.
The property was originally designed to host several apartments, but during the 1990s, they were amalgamated to form a singular townhouse.
As a result, the home had what McClean Quinlan described as "an office-like feel – vast open spaces, with no rhythm or intimacy". When the practice began the renovation, it focused on giving the home a better sense of scale and purpose.
The townhouse is now divided into a four-bedroom "main house" and a self-contained apartment on the top floor that can be used by the owner's visiting family and friends.
Throughout the space, the practice has introduced a number of new partitions to help break up the sprawling interior.
A few of them are slatted to draw natural light deeper into the plan; this includes the Douglas fir partition at the home's entrance, on which a red disc-like artwork by artist Anish Kapoor has been mounted.
"The building now has the proportions and texture of the peaceful family home our clients were looking for, balancing practical living with timeless and natural materials," McLean Quinlan explained.
The practice went on to use Douglas fir to create an array of other "beautiful yet practical" elements, such as storage cupboards, benches, and shelves.
The ceiling of the kitchen has also been lined in wood, complementing the putty-coloured cabinetry and surrounding plaster walls.
Just ahead, a dining area has been created beneath a grouping of white pendant lamps. Beyond this is a sitting room anchored by a broad cream sofa.
All three of these spaces have access to a sweeping terrace that McLean Quinlan has constructed on the home's exterior, allowing inhabitants to be better connected to the lush garden and swimming pool.
The garden itself has been newly landscaped by garden designer Fernando Martos Estudio, and a pool house containing a shower, WC, and changing area has been erected at the end of the lawn among a cluster of trees.
Like the main house, it features Douglas fir detailing. Its facade is inset with large windows, giving it a lantern-like appearance when the lights are switched on within.
This project also saw McLean Quinlan revamp the home's staircase, swapping its austere glass balustrade for thick batons of Douglas fir.
The same wood was used to craft the treads and risers.
On going down the stairs, inhabitants are led to a ground-floor wellness space that accommodates a gym, spa, sauna and steam room.
The bedrooms, meanwhile, are on the second floor and all decked out in the same calming, neutral hues that can be seen in the communal living spaces.
In the top-floor apartment, Mclean Quinlan has taken advantage of the building's mansard roof, creating cosy walnut-lined breakfast nooks and seating niches beneath its sloped sides.
Los Angeles-based Studio Shamshiri was brought in to curate the interiors here, filling the space with classic furniture pieces from designers such as George Nakashima and Hans-Agne Jakobsson.
Other standout residences in the buzzy city of Lisbon include a green-tile home by Bak Gordon Arquitectos that's wedged between two buildings, and the House of Countless Windows by Fala Atelier, which is designed to appear taller than its three storeys.
The photography is by Jim Stephenson.
Project credits:
Architect: McLean Quinlan
Interior design: McLean Quinlan & Valeria Cardoso
Lighting design: John Cullen
AV: Life Emotions
Landscape design: Fernando Martos Estudio
Contractor: XLog Construção
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