The project combines heritage rehabilitation and new construction within one of the most emblematic buildings in the historic centre of Tavira. The palace, dating from the 18th and 19th centuries, has been preserved in its full formal integrity: the façades maintain its scale, rhythm and classical order, while the stonework, decorative ceramics and wrought iron details have been carefully restored. The 18th-century stone staircase, a structural and symbolic element of the building, was fully rehabilitated, reinforcing the continuity of the palace’s noble and aristocratic character. At the same time, the technical intervention ensured structural improvements, acoustic and thermal insulation, safety and comfort, adapting the building to its new function without compromising its historical identity.
In the palace courtyard we find the Medina, a new construction with a fragmented and organic language, contrasting with the classical and European rigidity of the palace. The Medina is organised into interconnected volumes that, through a play of solids and voids, form patios, terraces, passages, stairways and narrow inner streets, evoking the Algarve’s traditional roofscapes (açoteias) and Moorish medinas. The variation of levels and routes creates a labyrinthine experience that invites wandering, defining visual and sensory rhythms shifting according to one’s point of view. Each patio or passage acts as a space of transition and discovery, offering unique framings and everchanging framings.