The Ruin
Tucked away within the larger hospitality complex of Solar Branco Eco Estate, The Ruin stands slightly apart from the other units—offering a rare sense of seclusion and uninterrupted views over the surrounding landscape. Its quiet position enhances the experience of privacy, immersion in nature, and reflection.
This new independent unit was carefully transformed into a T1 apartment spread across two floors. The intervention preserves and reveals the original stone structure while adding a sloped roof and timber cladding—elements that lend a contemporary character and clearly distinguish the new from the old.
The main entrance is located on the upper level, taking advantage of the site’s topography to access a bright kitchen and living area. A wide glazed opening frames southwesterly views and connects directly to a panoramic outdoor terrace. A staircase along the north wall leads down to the ground floor, where a double bedroom and bathroom are nestled against the original stonework.
Former openings in the ruin have been reinterpreted as full-height glass doors, offering direct access from the bedroom to the surrounding garden. The room also opens onto a private inner courtyard, enclosed by the ruin’s original walls—offering guests an intimate encounter with the site’s layered past.
Project: The Ruin of Solar Branco Eco Estate
Typology: Hospitality
Year: 2019 / 2023
Location: : Ponta Delgada – S. Miguel Island (Azores, Portugal)
Surface: 60,4 m2
Team: Joana de Oliveira, Giacomo Mezzadri, Sabrina Sinelli
Collaborators: Nuno Simas, Luiza Fraccaroli
Photography: Mariana Lopes
The Ruin
Tucked away within the larger hospitality complex of Solar Branco Eco Estate, The Ruin stands slightly apart from the other units—offering a rare sense of seclusion and uninterrupted views over the surrounding landscape. Its quiet position enhances the experience of privacy, immersion in nature, and reflection.
This new independent unit was carefully transformed into a T1 apartment spread across two floors. The intervention preserves and reveals the original stone structure while adding a sloped roof and timber cladding—elements that lend a contemporary character and clearly distinguish the new from the old.
The main entrance is located on the upper level, taking advantage of the site’s topography to access a bright kitchen and living area. A wide glazed opening frames southwesterly views and connects directly to a panoramic outdoor terrace. A staircase along the north wall leads down to the ground floor, where a double bedroom and bathroom are nestled against the original stonework.
Former openings in the ruin have been reinterpreted as full-height glass doors, offering direct access from the bedroom to the surrounding garden. The room also opens onto a private inner courtyard, enclosed by the ruin’s original walls—offering guests an intimate encounter with the site’s layered past.
Project: The Ruin of Solar Branco Eco Estate
Typology: Hospitality
Year: 2019 / 2023
Location: : Ponta Delgada – S. Miguel Island (Azores, Portugal)
Surface: 60,4 m2
Team: Joana de Oliveira, Giacomo Mezzadri, Sabrina Sinelli
Collaborators: Nuno Simas, Luiza Fraccaroli
Photography: Mariana Lopes
