In many cases, when working on a renovation project within an old building, architects often encounter segmented floor plans, spaces without natural light, and complex layouts that hinder the seamless flow required in modern living. Consequently, architects typically opt for targeted demolition, removing specific walls during renovations. This solution can address several of the problems encountered but demands meticulous planning to ensure the structural integrity of the building. When it comes to scenarios like these, structural reinforcement is one of the most commonly employed methods.
Modifying the structure of an older house or apartment can be essential for creating open and well-lit spaces. There are various ways to achieve this goal, such as introducing new structural elements to mark the different historical layers of the building, considering textures and colors that promote overall integration, or even making alterations to construction elements to reduce the load on the structure. Below, you'll find seven Brazilian projects that illustrate various approaches to achieving these objectives.
Residência HFL / Metrópole Arquitetos
"The renovation project involved expanding the room to connect with the garden by demolishing existing structures. A covered living area was established to link the new building seamlessly. All partition walls on the ground floor were taken down to create a roomy and open layout. Achieving this required structural reinforcement through the installation of visible metal beams beneath the ceiling. To define the entrance, a wall composed of hollow porcelain elements was built, extending from the entrance gate through to the living room."
Apartamento Apêrol / vapor arquitetura
"To showcase all the changes made and differentiate them from the existing structure, various treatments were applied to different materials within the apartment: the new structural metal framework and window frames were painted blue, the new concrete support columns were left exposed, and the areas that retained their original functions (bathroom and staircase) were kept with unfinished, unpainted masonry."
Quatá House / Canoa Arquitetura
"In order to make it possible to demolish the facade in almost the entire length of its cross-section, we used steel plates for structural reinforcement. The framing system, consisting of very slender folded steel profiles, enabled the use of sliding doors that allow the room to be opened widely."
House in Indiana Street / VD Arquitetura
"On the ground floor, with the demolition of the walls between the kitchen and the living room, structural reinforcement was needed on the stairs. In addition, the longitudinal wall opposite the stairs was stripped, which together with the hydraulic tile floor, gave unity to all integrated spaces."
Twins Apartment / Paralelo 30 Arquitetura
"In the social area, the wooden floor is chosen to make the project more respectful regarding the environment, also opposing the brutalism of apparent concrete in the upper slab. It looks interesting combined with the metal beam, adopted as a structural reinforcement measure -- the apartment was a penthouse, which explains the previous structural intervention."
Casinha Bosque / Estúdio OLO
"We carefully planned the layout to make efficient use of the existing plumbing infrastructure, thereby minimizing unnecessary construction costs. By employing metal reinforcements, we were able to remove the brick walls between the bedroom, living room, and kitchen, creating a unified space. Furthermore, we divided the existing bathroom area into one accessible restroom (PNE) and two additional cubicles."
Bocca Lupo Juvevê Restaurant / Arquea Arquitetos
"In order to add the new functions, the interior of the house was cleared of multiple walls and small rooms creating an open space without visual barriers. An extra structure was needed to support the roof and a steel beam was installed in the center of the house. "
JR House / Pascali Semerdjian Arquitetos
"The biggest obstacle in the process was definitely structural. The discovery of the undersizing of the beams and slabs of the original house delayed the work and raised the initial costs. So that large and costly structural reinforcements did not need to be made, the upper floor and roof masonry walls were removed and replaced with lighter-weight panel walls to alleviate the slab load. The roof was also replaced by a light metal tile, also reducing the weight of the roof."
