Arab Press

بالشعب و للشعب
Tuesday, Nov 04, 2025

A Former Fish Warehouse in Portugal Is Reimagined as a Brilliant Villa Filled With Light

A Former Fish Warehouse in Portugal Is Reimagined as a Brilliant Villa Filled With Light

Atelier Rua and Studio Stories transform an old building in Olhão, Portugal, into a minimalist guesthouse with arched doorways, a rooftop terrace, and a private pool.

Portuguese architecture firm Atelier Rua and Belgium-based interior design firm Studio Stories teamed up to deliver a carefully renovated rental property in southern Portugal’s Algarve region where guests can unwind surrounded by rolling hills, vibrant villages, and pristine coastal views.



Casa Dois is one of three existing guesthouses from the new hospitality brand, the Addresses.

Located in the quaint fishing town of Olhão, Casa Dois marks one of three converted Portuguese guesthouses within a growing portfolio from the Addresses, a boutique hospitality brand. Its updated design is anchored in a philosophy that stays true to the region’s heritage and overall atmosphere. "The Algarve’s good weather and traditional lifestyle were relevant to the design," says Francisco Freitas, principal architect of Atelier Rua.



From the ground-level patio, an original spiral staircase leads up to the private rooftop terrace.

The two-story guesthouse features a private outdoor space on both levels to "recreate the social and leisure spaces of a traditional Algarve home," adds Ana Tomé, who works alongside Freitas as principal architect at Atelier Rua. The outdoor gathering spaces also help to bring natural light inside the guest residence-a feat the architects achieved by taking advantage of the former warehouse’s existing architectural elements.



A fish depot from the former warehouse was transformed into a marble plunge pool on the patio.

To create the main-level patio, for example, the architects demolished an existing vaulted ceiling while preserving two original arches to create an indoor/outdoor connection with the open-plan living spaces. From the private patio, an original spiral staircase leads to the açoteia (Portuguese for "rooftop terrace"), which offers impressive views of the Rio Formosa, the Algarve’s nearly 40-mile-long coastal lagoon.



The Atelier Rua architects renovated the converted guesthouse with whitewashed walls and terra-cotta floors to emulate traditional building styles in southern Portugal.



Subtle nods to the building’s industrial leanings can be seen in the thin steel framing elements and handrails that line the açoteia, which translates to "rooftop terrace" in Portuguese.

Throughout the interior and exterior spaces, terra-cotta floors add warmth to the home’s primarily white palette. "One could say white is the color of the cubist city of Olhão," says Freitas. "White and terra-cotta elements are commonly used in construction throughout the south of Portugal."



Two beautifully preserved arches with glass doors and windows establish an indoor/outdoor connection between the patio and open-plan living spaces.



Warm, earth-toned furnishings contrast the guesthouse’s primarily white palette.

Inside the guesthouse, Belgian design firm Studio Stories focused on "soft colors and earthy tones," says creative director Katrien de Jonghe. The team took advantage of the former fish warehouse’s "big curves and high ceilings" to render a calm and relaxed vibe throughout the interiors.



Belgian interior design firm Studio Stories sourced handmade ceramics and vases from local shops and flea markets throughout southern Portugal’s Algarve region.



The Portuguese warehouse conversion includes two bedrooms, each with an en suite bathroom.

For the smaller details, de Jonghe’s team perused the region’s shops and flea markets to source a selection of handmade ceramics and vases. The interior spaces are intended to evoke the experience of "following the sun," de Jonghe explains. "We tried to create different corners that lend themselves to hanging out at different times of the day."



A wood-burning fireplace sits between two arched doorways in the open-plan kitchen, dining, and living areas.



Award-winning Portuguese architecture firm Atelier Rua renovated the former fish warehouse, while Belgian interior design firm Studio Stories curated the interior.

Casa Dois accommodates four people, with two bedrooms and two en suite bathrooms. While the specialized concierge service offered by the Addresses can help guests arrange local tours-such as horseback riding and surf lessons-visitors might find that one of the greatest rewards from staying at the Portuguese guesthouse comes from sipping a morning coffee on the rooftop and soaking up the surrounding coastal views.



Each of the guesthouses in the Addresses’ portfolio blend original Portuguese architecture and heritage details with contemporary influences and amenities.



Casa Dois is located in the heart of the Algarve's largest fishing port-the quaint village of Olhão, which is just 30 minutes from the Faro Airport in southern Portugal.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Arab Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Saudi Crown Prince to Visit Trump at White House on November Eighteenth
Trump Predicts Saudi Arabia Will Normalise with Israel Ahead of 18 November Riyadh Visit
Entrepreneurial Momentum in Saudi Arabia Shines at Riyadh Forward 2025 Summit
Saudi Arabia to Host First-Ever International WrestleMania in 2027
Saudi Arabia to Host New ATP Masters Tournament from 2028
Trump Doubts Saudi Demand for Palestinian State Before Israel Normalisation
Viral ‘Sky Stadium’ for Saudi Arabia’s 2034 World Cup Debunked as AI-Generated
Deal Between Saudi Arabia and Israel ‘Virtually Impossible’ This Year, Kingdom Insider Says
Saudi Crown Prince to Visit Washington While Israel Recognition Remains Off-Table
Saudi Arabia Leverages Ultra-Low Power Costs to Drive AI Infrastructure Ambitions
Saudi Arabia Poised to Channel Billions into Syria’s Reconstruction as U.S. Sanctions Linger
Smotrich’s ‘Camels’ Remark Tests Saudi–Israel Normalisation Efforts
Saudi Arabia and Qatar Gain Structural Edge in Asian World Cup Qualification
Israeli Energy Minister Delays $35 Billion Gas Export Agreement with Egypt
Fincantieri and Saudi Arabia Agree to Build Advanced Maritime Ecosystem in Kingdom
Saudi Arabia’s HUMAIN Accelerates AI Ambitions Through Major Partnerships and Infrastructure Push
IOC and Saudi Arabia End Ambitious 12-Year Esports Games Partnership
CSL Seqirus Signs Saudi Arabia Pact to Provide Cell-Based Flu Vaccines and Build Local Production
Qualcomm and Saudi Arabia’s HUMAIN Team Up to Deploy 200 MW AI Infrastructure
Saudi Arabia’s Economy Expands Five Percent in Third Quarter Amid Oil Output Surge
China’s Vice President Han Zheng Meets Saudi Crown Prince as Trade Concerns Loom
US and Qatar Warn EU of Trade and Energy Risks from Tough Climate Regulation
AI and Cybersecurity at Forefront as GITEX Global 2025 Kicks Off in Dubai
EU Deploys New Biometric Entry/Exit System: What Non-EU Travelers Must Know
Ex-Microsoft Engineer Confirms Famous Windows XP Key Was Leaked Corporate License, Not a Hack
Israel and Hamas Agree to First Phase of Trump-Brokered Gaza Truce, Hostages to Be Freed
Syria Holds First Elections Since Fall of Assad
Altman Says GPT-5 Already Outpaces Him, Warns AI Could Automate 40% of Work
Trump Organization Teams with Saudi Developer on $1 Billion Trump Plaza in Jeddah
Archaeologists Recover Statues and Temples from 2,000-Year-Old Sunken City off Alexandria
Colombian President Petro Vows to Mobilize Volunteers for Gaza and Joins List of Fighters
Nvidia and Abu Dhabi’s TII Launch First AI-&-Robotics Lab in the Middle East
UK, Canada, and Australia Officially Recognise Palestine in Historic Shift
Dubai Property Boom Shows Strain as Flippers Get Buyer’s Remorse
JWST Data Brings TRAPPIST-1e Closer to Earth-Like Habitability
UAE-US Stargate Project Poised to Make Abu Dhabi a Global AI Powerhouse
Saudi Arabia cracks down on music ‘lounges’ after conservative backlash
Saudi Arabia Signs ‘Strategic Mutual Defence’ Pact with Pakistan, Marking First Arab State to Gain Indirect Access to Nuclear Strike Capabilities in the Region
Turkish car manufacturer Togg Enters German Market with 5-Star Electric Sedan and SUV to Challenge European EV Brands
World’s Longest Direct Flight China Eastern to Launch 29-Hour Shanghai–Buenos Aires Direct Flight via Auckland in December
New OpenAI Study Finds Majority of ChatGPT Use Is Personal, Not Professional
Kuwait opens bidding for construction of three cities to ease housing crunch.
Indian Student Engineers Propose “Project REBIRTH” to Protect Aircraft from Crashes Using AI, Airbags and Smart Materials
Could AI Nursing Robots Help Healthcare Staffing Shortages?
Turkish authorities seize leading broadcaster amid fraud and tax investigation
Apple Introduces Ultra-Thin iPhone Air, Enhanced 17 Series and New Health-Focused Wearables
Big Oil Slashes Jobs and Investments Amid Prolonged Low Crude Prices
Social Media Access Curtailed in Turkey After CHP Calls for Rallies Following Police Blockade of Istanbul Headquarters
Gold Could Reach Nearly $5,000 if Fed Independence Is Undermined, Goldman Sachs Warns
Uruguay, Colombia and Paraguay Secure Places at 2026 World Cup
×