SPACE January 2026 (No. 698)
Three levels with different spatial systems: a sharp cut in the landscape, a grid of rooms, and a glass box.
The formidable slope is carved out to accommodate a house. The project stands as a stack of three levels—each is a different spatial system. The basement is a tall room with a diagonal wall and a curved ceiling that culminates in one acute corner—the space is too grand for a mere garage. The level above, in contrast, adheres to a rigorously defined set of geometric rules. The square perimeter is divided into sixteen equal parts, resulting in an almost boring yet ordered strict sequence of rooms housing all the secondary programmes on the middle level. The living room on top of the house is open to all four sides, offering views to the city, river and the ocean.
*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.
