This residential building, designed by Eduardo Souto de Moura, stands as a testament to the potential for high-quality architecture within budget constraints, situated near the new city center of Maia in the Porto metropolitan area. The building comprises 32 apartments and ground-floor shops, embodying a harmonious blend of functionality and aesthetic appeal.

Souto de Moura’s vision was to create a structure that could adapt to its environment, offering a dynamic interaction with its surroundings. The building’s facade is entirely covered with fixed and movable aluminum Venetian shutters, allowing it to transform its appearance based on the position of these elements. This design choice enables the building to oscillate between a serene, monolithic presence and a lively, animated facade, as described by the architect: “The building may look like a distant, silent box, on which the sun reverberates, or come to life with the random opening of the voids.”

The use of a regular structure without detail variations reflects Souto de Moura’s commitment to simplicity and efficiency, ensuring that the building remains within the financial limitations while still achieving architectural excellence. The shutters not only provide aesthetic versatility but also serve practical purposes, such as controlling light and privacy for the residents.

This project exemplifies Souto de Moura’s design philosophy, which emphasizes the integration of architecture with its context and the creation of spaces that are both functional and visually engaging. The building’s ability to change its expression in response to environmental conditions highlights the architect’s innovative approach to design, making it a significant contribution to the architectural landscape of the Porto periphery.