A Wine Cellar Transforns Into A Winning Home

Sarah Tolle – Homify Canada Sarah Tolle – Homify Canada
Recuperação de uma habitação rural em Melgaço, Davide Domingues Arquitecto Davide Domingues Arquitecto Casas rústicas Granito
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Architect Davide Domingues transformed this dilapidated outbuilding into a sleek and modern family home. The original structure was situated on cultivated agricultural lands where grapes were the predominant crop – The home is in Melgaço, a region of Portugal known for a long history of wine-making, and the original building clearly conveys the history part!

At just over 2000 square feet (200 square meters), the finished result is significantly larger than the original, turning an abandoned rural building into a peaceful and luxurious countryside escape. The architect created an angular, minimalist-inspired structure that cleverly combines the original character of the building with a modern layout, a lovely way to incorporate years of agricultural legacy into the modern home. 

Before: Dilapidated

There's no question that this home sets a certain tone, but welcoming is not it. The home is all but caving in – it has reached a state of dilapidation through years of vacancy. That's not to say that this stoney structure holds no potential! The stone masonry of the foundation is sound, and it's one of the elements that will remain as the house is transformed. 

You'll notice that the nearby outbuilding (a wine cellar) is separated from the main building by only a few feet. Therefore, the architect has drawn up plans to adjoin the two buildings, making for a larger singular structure.

Before: the setting

As you can see, this home is absolutely enveloped by nature. Throughout the planning of the project, the architect sought to maintain the organic and natural feel of the home, as well as it's vernacular, farmhouse structure. As you'll see, the architect employed the use of many reused and rehabilitated materials, as well as materials that encourage a natural, eco-friendly insulation system to keep the house cool in the summer.

The plan

Here's a look at the plan the architect developed. You can see how they've worked to create a home that melds with its landscape, taking advantage of the hill to create a garage in the space below. 

After: the old and the new

In this beautiful renovation, much of the original stone masonry as been preserved, while a lightweight zinc siding covers the spots that had to be demolished during the renovation of the home. The two buildings still conserve their separate locations, but they are now joined together by a walkway where a convenient door has been placed. 

After: the front facade

From this view, you can observe how the architect has done a magnificent job of creating a welcoming entrance that closely matches the stonework of the original structure – a feat not easily accomplished when a century has gone by between the original building and the renovation! 

The new home offers a lovely view of its surroundings with several large windows, but the real show-stopper is the one pictured on the right, which features an overhang that appears to reach off into the distance.

After: the courtyard

Here's an aerial look at the countryside courtyard that the home now enjoys. Terracing has been a common practice in sloping agricultural areas for centuries, and this courtyard is made possible by the flattening of the land that happened so long ago, back when this soil was filled with productive grapevines. 

After: blues and greys

This is perhaps the best snapshot showing the stark contrast between old and new. Here, rugged stones that have been piled for decades appear to be partially covered by a luminous blue metal, creating a unique juxtaposition of contemporary and classic. A glossy window gazes out at the hillside that's witnessed the transformation of this space over the many years.

The living room

The home doesn't appear overly tall from the outside: its location on a hill can easily deceive the onlooker, convincing you that the home maintains a low-profile. This home does anything but! 

Here, a lofty living room greets the eyes with matte grey, creams, and an assortment of stony tans, making for a well-balanced space focused on simple, neutral colors. The ample space in this living room was made possible by the fact that the entire interior of the structure had to be gutted, allowing the architect to create an open, free-flowing space. 

The dining room

To create a cozier nook, the dining room features a much lower ceiling than is seen in the common living space, but that's not to say that the dining area is anywhere near cramped! This sleek and modern dining room uses light tones to create cleanliness and spaciousness, and with the ample light streaming across the glossy floors, this country dining room is nothing short of exuberant!

A far-off view

Inside this narrow room, you can see how interesting this hybrid structure has become! Walls seem to disappear at a moment's notice, leaving you with nothing but the expansive countryside views beyond. All lines point to the end of the room, where the floor-to-ceiling window can be enjoyed on a comforting couch.

Overall, this rural renovation project has resulted in a luxurious and artistic home that not only holds all of the conveniences of modern life, but also the stories of an era long passed. 

If you love the countryside charm of this reno project, have a look at this forlorn farmhouse that's been transformed into a family home!

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