The Landscape Laboratory in Portugal

Completed last year, the Landscape Laboratory in Portugal is a modern restoration of an old stone factory. The renovation was designed by Porto-based Cannata & Fernandes Architects, who sought to preserve the existing structures as much as possible. Many features - including the original stone walls - have been left untouched, while the interior was adapted to new times and uses. Located southwest of the historic city center of Guimarães, Portugal, the Landscape Laboratory stands in a rural area near the National Ecological Reserve (REN). The architects preserved the original factory typology, which consists of a series of modules surrounded by green spaces, water channels and trails. The stone façade was recovered, cleaned and fixed with bricks, while new concrete volumes were added to adapt the building for modern use. Its interiors are contemporary, bright, open and filled with natural light. Some areas (like a small kitchen) mimic the building’s exterior factory typology. Set next to the Ribeira de Selho canal, the Landscape Laboratory is a beautiful renovation that blends history and modernity under one roof

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