Warehouse Morinha in Vila Meã, Portugal | stu.dere

stu.dere transformed a dark space into a bright children’s clothing store in Vila Meã, Portugal aiming to provoke a sense of exploration as one walked through space, as though it were a labyrinth in a kid’s game.

-text by the author

As if it was a game… so a new project started!

It was a sad and empty place turned into a large bright space and dynamically fitted, as a space for children should be. In the first contact with the building, it was found a place too wanton in terms of space distribution. Despite the client’s request for an open space concept, the intention was to create a sense of exploration as one walked through space, as though it were a labyrinth, like a game for a kid.

Hence the implementation of the wire mesh, which creates a physical but not visual barrier, thus fulfilling the client’s premises.

In addition to the area devoted to displaying and storing the items, the ground floor includes an office and a small storage room. When accessing the upper floor, there is a studio for product photography. This division was subdivided into two spaces with a glazing system, which were designed to expand space.

The materials used have been selected in such a way that their use is unique, without the need for adjacent layers and finishing with other products.

Honeycomb polycarbonate has been chosen for the interior walls, suggesting an industrial appearance in harmony with the microcement-coated floor. To counterbalance this, the ceilings and the office were lined with birch plywood, creating a more intimate feel. This note has a regular metric that allows both the rhythm to be created and the organization of space, such as furniture layout, to be guided.

A small area dedicated to children was created next to the stairs to the upper floor. This playful space was covered with polycarbonate and with a double height, at which the lights of a design object fell. The lights reflected in the polycarbonate allude to a world of magic, imagination and creativity. The industrial style pendant lamp was designed specifically for the place.

Drawings

Facts & Credits
Project title  Warehouse Morinha
Location  Vila Meã, Amarante, Portugal
Conclusion year  2020
Build area  334 m2
Client  Belo & Tavares, SA
Office  stu.dere – Oficina de Arquitectura e Design
Architects  Ulisses Costa
Photography  Ivo Tavares Studio