Interviews with Ricardo Porto Ferreira

The traditional references to dark cellars and wood materials had to be completely disregarded. Out of the brief we immediately interpreter the need for light and an open plan. Also, while designing a retail space, where emotions tend to be rationalized and as a designer, we work to find solutions beyond the existing condition.

The design the canvas for the Portuguese wine to shine and be displayed. The white color and a subtle intervention with circular circulation. The curved shelves carved out of the walls in reference to the wine terraces on a 360 degrees immersive retail experience with no counter.

Hopefully inspire new shapes and forms to designers and create the will to visit it.

From inception to site 3 months.

Its was a commission and the idea came out of several discussions with the client ahead of starting designing, where we both created different scenarios and possibilities.

One of the concerns was to create a solution that was easy to communicate the details without compromising the design intent. For that we studied several wall profiles details to assure we could develop a solution that could be extruded all around the area and end up with and concept we were searching for.

The references to this project where the mix between the wine terraces in Douro Wine Country and Art Galleries that typically allow a free flow of circulation paths.

Since the location is not premium for a retail store, and with no shopfront, we hope to attract people that come to visit the space or get pinched by the idea of a different experience than the traditional wineries.

The blindingly white color and curved geometry.

The detail

Ricardo Porto Ferreira is an architect with relevant experience in large-scale designs of mater plans and architecture, having worked on several high profile projects, lead the design of residential and mixed-use towers providing innovative and sustainable design solutions. He lead project teams from vision to execution, ensuring continuity of the principles defined throughout the development process.

His experience covers all phases of design, from preliminary study, licensing to the execution project for projects ranging from urban planning to the renovation of a private house.

In addition to a considerable international experience in terms of Design, he has also been involved repeatedly in attracting projects and defining and controlling the quality standards of companies and projects.

Graduated from the Faculty of Architecture of the University of Porto in 2007. He is a active member of the Portuguese Architects Association, American Institute of Architects and Project Management Institute.

Porto Architects is a Architecture, Interior Design and Planning studio based in Porto. We are minded to create meaningful and beautiful design, embrace a lifestyle of opposing paradigms and standards. The spectrum of the scale and nature of the studio’s work varies dramatically, although every project shares a commitment to authenticity, resonance of material and experimentation rooted in precedent. Using experience, passion and keen judgement, the OPOARC team strives to make every space the only one of its kind efficiently.

Founded in 2018, Porto Architects is an eponym that aggregates the city´s name from where the studio is based, the founder´s family name and the practical manifestation across diverse scales of design and disciplines to create spaces balanced in form, function and detail. Our architectural approach to design traces context, individual and social response to create spaces and experiences unique to each project and client.

Design is a emotional reaction to a rational predicament. Is the philosophical response expressed in words and drawings that represent feelings that are unique for each location, space and object.

Complex large scale developments in remote locations as they challenge designers to find the connectors that are not visible to the common eye and eventually non-existent, making the research and the generation of new ideas the shaping of the future.

Every design project has its own beauty and challenge regardless of size, type or location. The “design language” of each building is designed specifically for its context, place and purpose.

The public space renovation for a housing complex in the Netherlands.

Hand sketches and drawings are still the most human expression of the mind, and because of that the best instrument to interconnect with the client.

Immediately before being absorbed by the project. After this moment, beauty becomes overwhelmed by technicality and all discussions become rational. This is also a representation of the project going forward from the concept to detail stages.

With the ever increasing number of platforms to display designs, it increases opportunity to promote new, different and other. We have seen seeing new companies being created out of the big ones with top management and designers leaving in search for new challenges that translate in new design to which they relate and are a representation of their perspectives. This is a reflection of a less constrained market allowing new businesses to thrive with more but smaller egos, then the “star-system” produced. The desire that a design solution achieves the mark of iconic is now parallel to the benefits and positive impact that the solution can actually create. We are no longer looking only to the meaning but to the impact.

The printed versions of books and magazines have a sense of proportion between the canvas, image size, fonts and colors that the digital still has not been able to translate to the multitude of devices with the same quality and control that the printed version delivers. Despite this, I would have be blindfolded to avoid using the internet as a source of information and references from around the world. The curation of these sources is nowadays the definition of quality.

Being and entrepreneur suggests multitasking and a tight schedule between office and project activities by definition, which puts pressure in the team with a very reduced margin for error and none for procrastination. I am involved directly in all projects and stages; unplanned pin-up sessions are constant to motivate an open-dialog and criticism and perfectionism in everything we do.

All disciplines or activities that relate to some level of research find an uncertainty that operational jobs avoid at all costs. Designing a building, an interior or an object includes both. Finding flexible solutions, adaptable and adjustable can in many cases mitigate the unknowns that long periods of development can unveil.

Designers that are resilient problem-solvers face all stages of design with the optimism that the solution will come to them if they keep searching.

From private owners to corporate international companies.

When in Porto, I can be reached in our office in the Douro riverside or via email - opo@portoarchitects.com