SPACE January 2026 (No. 698)
The house hides behind a stripped mask; at its centre sits a tri-partite column and at its top a tall and pink shark fin. The shape of this compact plot, located within a dense urban fabric surrounded by neighbouring houses, is skewed. The project presents the challenge of inscribing a house into a distorted outline. The longest wall of the plot dictates a few directives for the geometry of the plan.
The project explores a vertical dimension within a confined volume. It reveals a continuous line of circulation along the guiding wall. The two staircases of differing characters lead to the rooftop. An Ellsworth Kelly like cut creates a lofty, double height space above the living area. Three columns of different sections accentuate the vertical movement: one round, one hexagonal, and one square. While the ground floor accommodates secondary programmes, the main living space of the house finds its place on the first floor. The expansive room has no interruptions and stretches between the two large windows. Within the empty space a precise arrangement of a few elements and objects emerges: a triangular kitchen, striped floor, a steadfast column, a cut in the ceiling, and an assortment of peculiar handrails. Whimsical furniture is scattered throughout the closely-packed interior composition.
*You can see more information on the SPACE No. January (2026).
Filipe Magalhães, born in Porto, Portugal, in 1987, graduated from the University of Porto (FAUP), including an exchange year in Ljubljana, Slovenia. He completed his PhD in Architecture at the same institution. He has collaborated with Harry Gugger in Basel and with SANAA in Tokyo, and has served as a Guest Professor at EPFL Lausanne. He has been a Partner at fala since 2013.
Ana Luisa Soares, born in Marco de Canaveses, Portugal, in 1988, graduated from the University of Porto, including an exchange year at the University of Tokyo. She has collaborated with Harry Gugger in Basel and with Ito Toyo in Tokyo, has served as a Guest Professor at EPFL Lausanne and HEAD Genève, and is currently a PhD researcher at University of Porto. She has been a Partner at fala since 2013.
Ahmed Belkhodja, born in Lausanne, Switzerland, in 1990, graduated from EPFL Lausanne and ETH Zurich. He completed his PhD at the University of Porto. He has collaborated with Obra Architects in New York, Harry Gugger in Basel, and Atelier Bow-Wow in Tokyo, and has served as a Guest Professor at EPFL Lausanne, HEAD Genève, and ENSA Paris-Est. He has been a Partner at fala since 2014.
Lera Samovich, born in Novokuznetsk, Russia, in 1991, graduated from the Moscow School of Architecture and completed her PhD at the University of Porto. She has collaborated with Bureau Alexander Brodsky and ASSE Architects in Moscow, has served as a Guest Professor at EPFL Lausanne, and has worked at fala since 2014, becoming a Partner in 2021.
