The bustling southern European city of Lisbon, Portugal, which spreads out across the hills on the northern side of the Rio Tejo as it winds down to meet the Atlantic Ocean, is flecked with the ochre-red of the archetypal terracotta rooftops synonymous with the region. Below the rooftops, balconies adorn the southern façades of the majority of dwellings, making the most of the city’s sunny disposition.
But in the cultural precinct of Janelas Verdes, just a stone’s throw from the National Museum of Ancient Art and Rocha de Conde d’Obidos Palace, there is a less-traditional piece of architecture. There are balconies, yes, and sandstone but both are used to create a contemporary take on the European apartment block.