Resumen: [EN] When asked to design the rehabilitation and expansion
of a traditional rural construction of the north of Portugal, we began
by analysing the word preserve, and the dictionary proposes:
protection and maintenance. Paradoxically, when referred to the
past, these synonyms may indicate opposite concepts: do we
speak of protecting the past or maintaining the past? Reflecting on
the rehabilitation, we established a synthesis between conserving
– the traditional construction, scale and characteristics of the
plot – and rehabilitating – providing all the modern and technical
facilities required and introducing new materials in dialogue with the
traditional stone walls such as concrete – to achieve an intervention
respectful of the history, that fits the nature of the non-urban site,
promoting and enhancing the authenticity of the region.
