Influenced by the proportions of the golden ratio, Ansião House by Bruno Dias Arquitectura holds a circular courtyard at its centre, presenting a contemporary twist on the historic homes of Portugal’s Leiria District.
Local architect Bruno Dias has constructed the Ansião House as a symbiosis of two architectural forms, separated by time and building approach. Whilst integrating contemporary values of a home, the residence respects the existing architecture of the historical town centre and follows the classical footprint of the golden ratio: “The rationale was that the human body is the most remarkable and obvious illustration of the golden ratio, and the human presence is the essential element in the definition of the house,” Dias explains. A central inner yard creates an atmosphere of intimacy and privacy in the home, continued through the interior design and the use of a warm colour and material palette. “The quest for warmer colours and materials inside provides greater spatial comfort. Outside, setting off from pre-existing materials, the profile of the original house is highlighted and the same language kept in the new volume, thus providing a unified and uniform character to the entire intervention.”“Human presence is the essential element in the definition of the house”
All images © Hugo Santos Silva
