Casal Saloio by Miguel Marcelino

In Portugal the Miguel Marcelino architectural office has transformed the Casal Saloio country house into a contemporary museum. The farmhouse dating back to the 16th century is one of the few country homes to still recall the region's cultural heritage today. Now transformed into a museum, it provides visitors insights into Saloio culture.

The museum's ensemble of buildings is characterised by a broken and irregular geometry. © Archive Miguel Marcelino, photo by Lourenço T. Abreu

Successive alterations

As time passed, the house underwent multiple changes and enlargements in size. Originally consisting of just one room it later gained a secondary room, then a side wing, a stone stove and a stable. A second story and various annexes were the final alterations. All these structural changes satisfied the needs of the residents but did not follow any aesthetic guidelines.

Preserving existing structures

Recognizing the building's historical value, Miguel Marcelino and his team decided to keep it in its last perceivable configuration; accordingly the ensemble's broken and irregular geometry was retained to make it possible to grasp the history of the old rural house in the future.

Sensitive enlargement

A new extension was added consisting of two intersecting L-shaped volumes that join with the old ensemble to form a central courtyard. In shape and size the extension is similar to the original, thus keeping to the character of the place, and is easily distinguishable from the old volumes by not having a tiled roof. The sensitive approach that the architects took in the process preserves the cultural heritage of the municipality of Cascais, enabling future generations to gain insights into its history.