UPGRADE breathes new life into forgotten architecture. This book by Gestalten presents a diverse range of progressive renovation projects from around the world – from home extensions to the modernization of industrial sites.
Adding. Extending. Transforming. Upgrade explores architectural and design concepts that seek to enhance and repurpose our surroundings. From slight changes to complete renovations, the spectrum of possibilities is vast. Extensions upon a rooftop. Factories turned into relaxing retreats. Wood additions contrast with antique brick exteriors.
One of the works showcased in the book is the E/C House on the volcanic Pico Island, designed by Portuguese architecture studio SAMI-Arquitectos. The two-storey holiday home, which overlooks the Atlantic, was built around the ruins of a former house. The old stone walls are left standing, creating a striking contrast between the old and the new. Minimally furnished, the home provides a tranquil space to relax and rejuvenate. “The house, modelled inside the walls of stone, was designed with generous openings, for light to come inside and to contemplation of the landscape,” say the architects. “These openings are sometimes lined up, and sometimes not, with the former openings of the ruin, creating new frames and relations with the original limits of the house.”
“Upgrade: Home Extensions, Alterations and Refurbishments” is available for purchase here via Gestalten.
