Project Garrido | Renovation for Rental

📍 Quinta de Covanco, Alenquer — Portugal

Project Garrido originated from an old rural house set within an agricultural context, surrounded by farmland and supporting farm structures. The property featured poor internal subdivision, an outdated interior structure, and lacked any functional layout suitable for its intended use.

The main objective of the project was to transform the property into an efficient unit for short-term rental, maximizing the number of bedrooms, improving internal circulation, and creating more integrated and inviting social areas.

Intervention Strategy

The proposal was based on the full reuse of the existing exterior walls, preserving the original volume of the house and keeping the façade facing the public road unchanged. The intervention was entirely focused on the interior of the property, characterizing the project as a complete internal renovation.

All internal walls were demolished to allow the creation of a new layout, better aligned with the intended use and offering improved spatial efficiency.

New Layout and Program

With the spatial reorganization, the project now includes:

• Three compact bedrooms, designed to accommodate short-term rental guests

• An open-plan living room and kitchen, creating a more fluid and social environment

• A kitchen with a dining table for up to six people

• A single bathroom, located within the volume of the former annex

• An outdoor leisure area, featuring a barbecue, fire pit, and space for relaxation

A garage was not considered essential, as the property is located within a fenced farm area, allowing priority to be given to social and leisure spaces.

Architectural Highlight

One of the central features of the project was the preservation of the original roof shape in the social areas of the house. In the living room and kitchen, the original roof design was maintained, enhancing the ceiling height, existing geometry, and the architectural identity of the building.

In the private areas, the project proposes flat plasterboard ceilings, ensuring comfort, visual organization, and construction feasibility.

The result is a proposal that transforms a formerly underutilized old house into a functional, attractive property aligned with the short-term rental market, balancing strategy, spatial optimization, and architectural identity.