Luís Rebelo de Andrade, Tiago Rebelo de Andrade, and Manuel Cachão Tojal collaborated on this in 2012 for a client located in Travessa do Patrocínio, Lisbon, Portugal. This project is in fact a mini lung and an example of sustainability for the city of Lisbon, keeping the principles of a living typical habitat and a relationship with the outside, assuming a revitalizing urban role.
Its exterior is dominated by an assortment of Iberian and Mediterranean plants, providing color and texture to an otherwise minimalist design. The box housing deviates from the gable to create a vertical yard (glass box), with a straight ladder connecting all floors, an allusion to the famous stairs of Alfama, running between the all 4 floors walls and linking the various dimensions. This courtyard is the heart of the house, bringing light to the interior, enhancing the main entrance and creating a real exterior/interior relationship. Its walls are completely covered with vegetation, creating a vertical garden, filled with around 4500 plants from 25 different Iberian and Mediterranean varieties which occupies 100 square meters. So, short levels of water consumption are guaranteed as well as little gardening challenges. Different fragrance are spread throughout the 4 floors. For example, in the swimming pool you will have the flavor of saffron, in the bedroom, lavender, in the living-room, rosemary.
