Minimalistic apartment interior with large glass doors and white walls.

A minimalistic apartment interior with large sliding glass doors, white walls, and a light-colored floor. The space is open and extends towards a terrace, with a series of vertical panels on one side.

A minimalist interior space with a pale floor and ceiling, featuring a large glass door leading to a terrace. The walls are simple with some black accents, and there are several light fixtures on the ceiling.
A minimalist interior space with a light-colored floor and walls, leading to a terrace with a metallic canopy structure.
A minimalist interior space with large glass doors leading to a terrace. The terrace features a round white structure and a metal canopy casting a patterned shadow.
A view of a building facade with large windows and a perforated metal canopy above. Clothes are hanging to dry on a line outside the windows.
Interior view of a minimalist apartment with white walls, blue accents, and a pale floor. The space features a series of white doors with circular handles and a view towards a terrace through a glass door.
A minimalist interior space featuring white walls with blue accents, a light-colored floor, and a ceiling with small hanging lights. The room leads to a glass door opening to an outdoor area.
A minimalist interior space with white walls and ceiling, featuring simple light fixtures and a polished floor. The space leads to a glass door with a view of an outdoor area.
Interior view of a minimalist space with white walls featuring circular black fixtures and a light-colored floor.
A close-up view of an interior corner featuring black and white marble detailing around a doorway. A small light fixture is visible on the ceiling.
Interior detail showing a corner with black marble surfaces and a white ceiling.
A metallic structure resembling a cloud shape is mounted on a pole, casting a patterned shadow. The background shows a clear sky and part of a building wall.
A minimalist terrace with a round tub and a metallic canopy structure, set against a cityscape backdrop at dusk.
A silhouetted view of a cloud-shaped metallic structure against a darkening sky.
Exterior view of a building with multiple balconies featuring metal railings and sliding glass doors.
Minimalist interior design with a pale blue ceiling, white walls, a pink round table, and a dark blue chair.
Minimalist interior with a pale blue ceiling, white walls, and a speckled floor. A dark chair and a round pink table are placed in the room.
A simple architectural floor plan featuring a long rectangular layout with a circular pattern on one end.
Architectural section drawing of a building with a stepped wall and terrace.
A digital rendering of an architectural space featuring a grid layout. The image shows a long corridor with a stepped wall on one side and a canopy structure at the end. The space is defined by transparent and opaque rectangular forms, with a focus on linear and geometric elements.
A digital architectural model showing a stepped apartment layout with a terrace. The model features transparent walls and a grid pattern on the floor, with a tree-like structure on the terrace.

Story

A minimalist apartment in Vila Nova de Gaia, defined by a stepped wall and a cloud-shaped terrace canopy. In Vila Nova de Gaia, the Stepped Wall Apartment by fala is a study in spatial economy and material restraint. The design reduces the apartment to its perimeter, punctuated by a singular architectural gesture: a stepped wall that delineates the living area from a series of secondary rooms. This wall transforms the space into a diagrammatic layout, with an expansive open room on one side and a compact sequence of functional spaces on the other. The living area extends towards a terrace, where the project reaches its crescendo. Here, a metallic pole supports a light canopy, casting intricate patterns of shade reminiscent of Itsuko Hasegawa’s delicate shading structures. This element serves as both a technical and surreal addition, transforming the terrace into a domestic stage rather than a mere outdoor extension. Inside, the material palette is intentionally sparse. White surfaces dominate, interrupted by subtle accents: fragments of black marble, mirrored planes, and vivid blue carpentry lines. The interior atmosphere is unified under a pale blue ceiling, creating a serene backdrop for the apartment’s precise architectural gestures, all oriented towards the unexpected presence of the cloud-shaped metallic tree on the terrace.

## Design Highlights

Stepped wall dividing living space and secondary rooms Metallic pole and canopy on the terrace Minimalist material palette with white surfaces and blue accents Black marble and mirrored planes for subtle contrast Pale blue ceiling enhancing the interior atmosphere

## Key Facts

Feature Detail
Location Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal
Architect fala
Year 2025
Area 150m²
Key Material White surfaces, black marble, blue carpentry

Technical Summary

Finishes

  • wall finish: White surfaces with black marble accents and mirrored planes.
  • ceiling finish: Pale blue ceiling.

Materials

  • glass — Doors and windows.
  • metal — Canopy structure on the terrace.
  • marble — Interior accents.

Construction / Systems

  • structural system: The apartment features a stepped wall that divides the living space.

Products

  • Not specified

Palette / Lighting

  • Colors: white, black, pale blue, bright blue
  • Lighting: Minimalist and calm with small light fixtures.

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