Articles by Valeria Silva

Swissotel Resort and Residences Çeşme is a transformation project that upcycled the existing 11-storey hotel, which was originally constructed in 1997. Instead of demolishing the building and starting anew, Dilekci Architects aimed to extend the building’s lifespan by retaining as much of the existing structure as possible, thereby minimizing its carbon footprint. By adding a new residential function to the hotel, the project serves as an example of adaptive reuse in architecture, transforming the building not only in the environmental context but also in the urban and social.

Located on the coast of Yucatán, near the Chuburna Mangrove, Casa Manglar emerges as a sanctuary for rest, designed to harmoniously blend with the surrounding nature. This residential project consists of two parts: the main block and a villa, both framed by the vegetation of the environment and the mangrove that extends behind the property. From the terrace, breathtaking views of the mangrove can be enjoyed, where the palette of intense greens merges with the sky and the sea.

During the construction of a warehouse to house materials and workers for the construction of his country house, architect Júnior Piacesi found the opportunity to create a loft in the space to enjoy restful days surrounded by nature, thus the Casa Branca Annex was born.

Villa Arrebol suggests a lifestyle immersed in the natural environment; the transition between the interior and exterior is responsible for generating sensations and reminding us of the qualities of the place we live in. We aimed to translate hotel life into the home’s story, to replicate the vacation feeling we realized that hotel areas are usually separated by open spaces. You have to walk outside and see trees, nature, and the context surrounding the project.

The Xewa Sowé children’s center includes emergency accommodation for 24 children, a food center to ensure self-sufficiency for 30 children, a large vegetable garden, a field of artemisia (an anti-malaria plant), a farm, a kitchen, and a refectory; a public center, accessible to the villagers so that the children are in touch with the community, includes a library, a study room and an office for the administrator. The project is based in Sowé, a rural village in central Benin. The site is on the outskirts of the village; just a few minutes walk from the main square. The plot is crossed diagonally by a side road leading to the fields. The village lies to the southwest of the center. To the east, a laterite road links the site to a motorbike route, which connects the village’s educational institutions with the main town 10km away.

The Jingyang Camphor Court creates a tranquil courtyard in the heart of Jingdezhen (Jiangxi province), a city historically well-known for its porcelain production. The site is located in a bustling part of the city and is characterized by the presence of ongoing industrial heritage renewal projects around it. The site featured industrial relics such as a long and narrow industrial building, a few mechanical rooms, a dormitory, and a dilapidated pavilion. In and around these structures, camphor trees had grown to maturity. The retention of these trees became the basic premise of the project.

Located in Matosinhos, Casa da Fonte Velha is the result of a careful approach to creating a contemporary family home that values coexistence. This project, designed for a young couple with three children, focuses on the harmony between living spaces and the ease of hosting friends and family.