Felisberto Centenary House
A century-old house, a project to last another century. The combination of traditional and modern at the Felisberto Centenary House adds a new element to the equation: the optimized.
As the name suggests, the Felisberto Centenary House is already a secular marble atelier, the oldest in operation in Porto. Founded by Felisberto Alves Baut, great-grandfather of the current owner, it specializes in the design, manufacture and supply of marble and granite stone for domestic, architectural and monumental applications, focusing, above all, on sacred and tomb art. It is known for the personalized service it provides, with attention to detail, quality and expectations of its customers, and for the constant innovation in the marble industry, with the introduction of the most modern techniques and materials in the production of pieces, already conquering international markets.
We set out to design and project a more structured and organized Felisberto Centenary House, but faithful to the tradition and reputation it has been maintaining, with an in-depth study of its commercial needs and objectives, to arrive at an optimized solution.
We started by reorganizing the space layout. When we got to know the atelier for the first time, we came across materials and products obstructing the entrance and passage of customers, making the entire visit experience confusing and preventing new business from being closed. Thus, we chose to design display furniture in marine plywood for the sculptures and memorials, with glass doors to protect the pieces, which were previously placed on wooden shelves without any protection. As an atelier with reduced dimensions, especially in terms of width, wandering through the space could cause the pieces to fall, having the risk of breaking.
For many years, the ceiling was blue and the walls were covered in religious sculptures. The grandfather of the current owner said that this way the Saints got to heaven faster. When we got to know the space, everything was white and that characteristic had been lost, so we decided to rescue it. We painted the ceiling and display furniture in blue, as well as some details at the entrance, such as the mailbox, the small pendant lamp and the recess in the wall with the sculpture of Santo António. As a marble worker, Felisberto Centenary House has manufactured marble stone bases to support the exhibition furniture, allowing the continuity of the work it develops. Also at the entrance were some old atelier signs to complement the decoration.
Finally, so that the owner could have a space to receive clients and close new deals, the study of the space for the projection of an office area was essential. We opted for a higher structure, with a wooden staircase for access and a full-length window with a blue frame. The furniture's white and wood tones predominated and the office was designed to be as optimized as possible, with a vertical file and organization of materials and use of the window base to dispose of larger equipment such as the computer and printer. The choice of storage modules throughout the office was essential, as this is a very small space.
