Civic Centre Casa da Sobreira

Located in the central square of the parish of Rio Mau, in the municipality of Penafiel, Casa da Sobreira has stood since the early twentieth century. Originally conceived as a family residence that housed several generations, it has since become an enduring landmark of the parish, deeply embedded in the collective memory of its inhabitants.
The opportunity to requalify the building allowed it to take on a new central role within the public life of the community. The intervention transformed Casa da Sobreira into a civic centre with a comprehensive programme: the ground floor is home to the Citizen Service Centre, the museum and the library; the first floor accommodates the parish council offices, the ceremonial hall and the training room; within the extensive 2,800-square-metre grounds, a public garden was created.
The central idea for the project was to preserve the architectural memory of the building, allowing the traces of time to remain inscribed upon its walls. With its U-shaped plan, the three exterior façades and the former kitchen chimney were restored, returning their original dignity, whilst the inner façades received a more substantial intervention, opening up new architectural possibilities.
To passersby, Casa da Sobreira remains faithful to the image for which it has long been known. Yet those who cross its threshold discover an entirely different world. Inside, a glazed tile plinth, in the same vibrant green as the landscape beyond, creates a seamless transition between interior and exterior. Resting upon this base is a cantilevered gallery that traces the perimeter of the central void, organising the entire first-floor programme. It is here, within this suspended gesture, that two moments in time converge: the house that has endured and the house that reinvents itself, giving rise to a subtle and unexpected spatial experience.
The green colour, evocative of the garden and of the hills and valley that unfold beyond it, is carried into the interior. The joinery, finished in this tone, establishes continuity between the various spaces of the civic centre. In moments of transition, the colour expands across walls and ceilings, creating an immersive experience that reinforces the identity of the whole.
The requalification of Casa da Sobreira reaffirms the building as a focal point of the community. The restored façades, the void structured by the suspended gallery and the continuity of green throughout the interior spaces express the union of memory, function and the clarity of the architectural gesture.

Penafiel - Portugal
2026