Wooden House Renovation in Lisbon: Cura’s House by Atelier AAVV

Rediscovering Identity Through Rehabilitation

In the heart of Lisbon, between the historic neighborhoods of Lapa and Madragoa, Cura’s House stands as a poetic and profound example of wooden house renovation in Lisbon. Designed by Atelier AAVV, the 300-square-meter residence embodies a sensitive transformation of a derelict structure, honoring the layered memory of place while projecting a contemporary architectural narrative. Rather than following a rigid approach, the architects embarked on an open-ended process that balanced heritage with innovation.

A Reflective Approach to Rebuilding

Cura’s House is more than a renovation; it is a philosophical inquiry into the essence of rebuilding. The project began with the ruins of a traditional structure, offering not just a challenge of space but a dialogue with time. Atelier AAVV did not simply restore; they listened—to the stone, to the wind, to the city's whispered stories—and responded with an architecture that respects both the memory of the past and the potential of the future.

Crafting a New Core from Pine

At the heart of the house is a newly inserted wooden structure, formed entirely from pine. This timber element spans the entire depth of the building, serving as both spatial divider and unifier. Set within the original masonry walls, the pine core reimagines the domestic experience, allowing for an open constellation of rooms rather than a fixed floor plan. This approach empowers spatial adaptability and encourages personal interpretation over time.

Material Dialogue: Wood, Clay, and Stone

Materiality is central to the architectural narrative. Painted wood surfaces and light plastered walls are complemented by Lisbon’s emblematic clay tiles—normally reserved for rooftops—now reintroduced on the floor, grounding the house in the city's tactile history. Reclaimed stones mark the entrance, one of which bears a house number made from site-collected earth, while another forms the initial threshold step, embedding the building within its geographical and material context.

Space as a Storyteller

Rather than enforcing a strict functional layout, the design allows the house to remain open to possibility. The attic and ground floor levels maintain their historical character while integrating seamlessly into the broader structure. The resulting spatial constellation invites reinterpretation across generations, allowing Cura’s House to continuously evolve without losing its foundational identity.

A Quiet Urban Transformation

Cura’s House is an emblem of subtle urban renewal. It doesn’t shout modernity, but whispers transformation. In its careful balance of the old and the new, and its masterful use of wood in a dense Lisbon context, this renovation project sets a benchmark for how architecture can simultaneously respect, reinterpret, and reinvigorate its surroundings.

All Photographs are works of Lourenço Teixeira de Abreu, Pedro Galvão Lucas