FACTSCOWORKING space
Porto, Portugal (2017)
Program: Coworking office
Size: 280sqm
Client: Facts &It
Architecture: João Caldas, Rita Breda, Pedro Rodrigues, Luís Soares
Photography: Niks Sudrabs
We were asked to refurbish the interior space of a former store and transform it into a coworking office.
Due to tight budget constraints, the intervention had to undertake the challenge of enriching the space through means of as minimum action as possible; with a few demolitions to give the space coherence and improve the relation between both storeys.
As a guiding principle, most of the existing space's features were kept whilst some improvements were added to specifically address operative demands. Most of the surface materials were thought in order to introduce an element of cohesion as well as visual interest.
Facing a street, the project sets both an open coworking space and a series of closed offices, that enjoy a visual connection to the street. On the upper level, working stations benefit from an informal meeting room that is possible to enclose with curtains.
The secondary functions were placed at the lower level; kitchen, eating area, storage, chill-out zone and play area.
A light wall feature connects all these spaces and defines the storage area. At this level, it wasn’t possible to hide the infrastructures, as the ceiling height was already very low.
