Abranda Restaurant / LADO Arquitectura e Design

Curated by Susanna Moreira

Architects: LADO Arquitectura e Design
Area: 70 m²
Year: 2021
Photographs:Francisco Nogueira
Manufacturers: TON, Adico, Efapel, Koklatt, Muuto, Normo, Primus Vitória, Sanitana, Vale da Gandara
Lead Architect: João Regal

Text description provided by the architects. If the archetypal traditional Portuguese fishing village still exists, then maybe Porto Côvo is this. The mix of whitewashed cottages, cobbled streets, and pretty squares perched on the low cliff tops of the Alentejo coast, make Porto Covo a great escape spot, just 170km south of Lisbon. The historic heart of Porto Covo, Largo Marquês de Pombal, is a marvel of 18th-century popular architecture. The plan of the urban centre reveals a certain geometric proportion of its boundaries and the straight mesh of streets placed parallel and perpendicular.

The urban centre presents a square with a church, surrounded by residential buildings, repetitive in simple facades, with small clods in the four corners adding rhythm and originality to the set. In the very heart of this amazing square, facing the church, Abranda is a brand-new destination for foodies, where to enjoy great food and drinks.

With a rectangular floor plan of approx. 70m2 of indoor area, plus 150m2 of outdoor area, the venue was a former residential space. To turn it into a restaurant, studio LADO designed a space that feels comfortable and airy, both cozy and contemporary, in full respect of the building’s traditional architecture. The main room boasts an exposed timber roof structure, with a traditional ceiling cladded with local bamboo, all painted white. Dividing the bar from the seating area, a full-length arch was created, adding a curvaceous feeling to the space.

Covering all the interior floor, custom-designed encaustic cement tiles of geometric pattern, in shades of pink and light grey, create an optical vibration throughout the space. The interior design scheme is simple, mostly white walls and ceiling, neutral colors with some touches of terracotta-colored elements. Other materials found in the project are limestone “Lioz”, light grey painted wood, natural oak chairs, and wickers lamps.

In the backyard, a square pergola was designed, creating a sun-protected outdoor space, with roman stripe ceramic blocks laid in a herringbone pattern. The white painted metal structure accommodates a long communal wooden table, with a stone top, as well as white metal tables and chairs.