Discover the Casa d'Abreu Neto
The first one
And the first is unrepeatable
The Room
The Room is another meeting space.
All the Senhor de Matosinhos Festivals, Christmas, Easter, birthdays, were held in that room on a huge long table. Maria João's parties with vinyl records and time restrictions took place on that floor and in that space. The rain and sun can always be seen from the armchairs while drinking coffee in the morning, reading a book or having a good conversation. The dinner ends with a toast with a glass of Port Wine created by Álvaro Siza.
The Bedrooms
Abreu Neto's Room
The room where Maria Manuel was born in 1971.
The balcony room designed for all the d'Abreu, the Neto and the d'Abreu Neto and any others by affinity.
It is the room that is the memory of all the great events of the d'Abreu Neto family. Feranda and Ferando's room. Maria João and Manuel João's room. The room that symbolizes the identity of the life in the house.
Marias'Room
In order to pay homage to all the Marias who were born, grew up, played, danced, worked and laughed in this house, this room is the space to remind us that we all have a small space in our home that is dear to us.
The challenge in this room is to find how a small shirt closet also becomes a desk.
Boys'Room
The bedroom for the children of the owners of the house. Maria João and Jorge shared the room as children and during their adolescence it underwent several temporary renovations with posters and autographs and red lights where Maria João kept her secrets.
Guest Room
The room with a view of one of the Four Houses: Uncle Oscar's House. The room that welcomed the grandparents, the children of friends, Aunt Teresinha, the cousins, and Fernanda and Fernando's friends. Here you feel welcomed, as is the Portuguese tradition in the North.
The Kitchen
The Kitchen is a meeting place.
When we enter the kitchen, we are invaded by an environment that makes us want to cook, explore, and talk. It's fun. The ochre tile is a sudden and surprising flight into the universe of Catalan artist Antoni Gaudí. Just like the small window for passing dishes through to ensure that nothing is missing from the table. All the appliances have been redesigned to maintain a retro style. The chimney is a work of architecture, of art, a work of imagination. We just have to contemplate it.
The Bathrooms
Renovated by Architect Siza, all the sanitary ware and taps were chosen by him. The excellence and historic quality of the Portuguese ceramics industry is honored with the Neoclassical line from Valadares. Putting on the cotton bathrobe with embroidered logo, designed by Álvaro Siza, after getting out of the shower is a special moment. The detail of flushing the toilet reminds us all of our grandparents' house.
Fernanda Room
In the Fernanda Room we admire the pieces and objects that tell the story of the passing of time in the d'Abreu Neto family and their home. Photographs, drawings, documents, books and design objects are available to be admired and explored. This is where Fernando kept his objects linked to the most special memories of his life. This is where you will find Fernando's secrets. All the explanations and moments of diligent study have always been in this space. And there, framed, in the centre we can admire the 1956 plan signed by the architect Siza: "I sign 55 years later because at that time I was not yet an architect". And there we feel that we have become part of the history of Portuguese architecture and the history of a family.
Our Architect's Office
Fernando Room
Maria Manuel's first bedroom: what these walls hold. It was here, in this little corner of dreams, that she slept.
During the festive seasons of Senhor de Matosinhos, this room welcomed those who came from far and near, filling it with the excitement and conversations typical of these days of celebration. Years later, this became Fernando's serene refuge: to do his crossword puzzles, celebrate and get excited about his Benfica, or leaf through the daily newspaper or calmly read a book.
Support Room
Outdoor Area
Where clothes used to be dried in the sun, where there used to be a chicken coop designed by a Pritzker, there is now a laundry, where Maria João, Jorge and later Maria Manuel used to run around, we now sit in the garden reading a book and enjoying the view of the magnificent living room. The rudder of the Nossa Senhora da Guia trawler, where Fernando's father was a master, was fixed to the wall of the house against the recommendations of those who designed the project. It is the challenge to Architect Siza that will always make us smile a little thinking about how we all can't resist being a little architect of our own home. The main entrance invites us to enter a space that has a soul. The trees and flowers were also planted by Fernanda and the plaque in the garden remembers all the "faithful friends" of the family who lived there.
It's the House of Abreu Neto.
The first one.
Casa d'Abreu Neto would like to thank photographers Francisco Cruz and Pedro Cardigo for their sensitivity and talent in capturing the essence of this space through his images.