Riverside Condominium by MJARC Arquitects

The Riverside Condominium is a thoughtfully rehabilitated residential project that preserves and revitalizes a building which has shaped the landscape of Santa Comba Dão for over twenty years. The project exemplifies adaptive reuse, focusing on sustainability, architectural quality, and contextual sensitivity. Instead of demolishing the existing structure, MJARC Arquitects chose to retain the majority of its structural elements, preserving over 90% of beams, columns, and slabs, as well as 75% of the original core. This approach significantly reduces embodied carbon while demonstrating a modern model of environmentally conscious renovation.

Site and Layout

The condominium is strategically located on the slope of the Dão River, offering residents panoramic views of the surrounding landscape. The building rises four floors above ground, accommodating 28 apartments with layouts ranging from T2 to T3. Each apartment is designed to maximize natural light, ventilation, and visual connection to the river, creating an environment that balances comfort, functionality, and aesthetic appeal.

The architectural strategy organizes interior spaces into a coherent circulation pattern, with well-planned staircases, hallways, and shared areas ensuring smooth movement throughout the building. Terraces and balconies extend the living spaces outdoors, creating a harmonious relationship between interior and exterior environments and reinforcing the building’s horizontal expression.

Materials and Sustainable Strategies

Sustainability is central to the Riverside Condominium’s design. The facade is clad in bamboo wood, sourced from responsibly managed forests certified under LEED, BREEAM, and FSC standards. Bamboo’s natural durability and visual warmth provide a sustainable alternative to conventional materials while complementing the riverside setting.

The zinc roof serves multiple purposes: it provides shading for terraces, protects interior spaces from heat gain, and contributes to the overall horizontal character of the building. This combination of material choices not only emphasizes environmental responsibility but also creates a visually coherent and timeless aesthetic.

Inside, the design continues the sustainable ethos. Interior finishes, including kitchens, living areas, and window frames, are carefully detailed to enhance daylight, promote natural ventilation, and support long-term durability. Open-plan layouts allow flexible use of space, while balconies and terraces extend living areas outward, creating a connection to the river and natural surroundings.

Adaptive Reuse and Environmental Impact

The rehabilitation of Riverside Condominium goes beyond architectural preservation; it embodies a holistic approach to sustainable urban living. By maintaining the existing structure and reducing construction waste, the project minimizes the carbon footprint while demonstrating the viability of adaptive reuse as a long-term strategy. The retention of original structural elements preserves the building’s historical memory and reduces resource consumption associated with new construction.

The project sets a benchmark for sustainable residential design in dense urban contexts, proving that older buildings can be upgraded to meet contemporary standards of comfort, energy efficiency, and ecological responsibility. The integration of natural materials, thoughtful spatial planning, and attention to environmental performance ensures that Riverside Condominium is both functional and resilient, offering a high-quality living experience while remaining sensitive to its surroundings.

Experience and Legacy

Riverside Condominium is not only a residential project but also a model of environmentally responsible architecture. It demonstrates how rehabilitation can maintain cultural and architectural heritage while delivering modern amenities and sustainable design solutions. By balancing aesthetic refinement, spatial quality, and ecological performance, the project provides residents with a harmonious, healthy, and inspiring living environment. Its adaptive reuse strategy offers a replicable framework for future projects, highlighting the potential of existing buildings to be transformed into contemporary, sustainable, and socially relevant spaces.

Photography: Garcês