Cais do Sodré has changed considerably. From being the stamping ground of small-time criminals, sailors and bohemians, it is now a privileged nightspot. And whilst criminals and bohemians still haunt Largo de São Paulo and the Pink Street, they are now a pacified minority that often cannot be + distinguished from the hordes of tourists filling the streets.

The change in the lifestyle has naturally been reflected in the way the area’s buildings have been treated, for suddenly they became highly desirable. They had previously either been abandoned or partially occupied by elderly people, reflecting the neglect and the low rents – insufficient to ensure minimum safety conditions for the building, much less carry out running repairs. Then came cafés, bars, themed restaurants and art galleries living cheek by jowl with the typical Cais do Sodré taverns where you can still eat a hearty dish of calves’ liver for a good price or drink a glass of wine in the company of the locals.

The renovation of nº 55, São Paulo is part of this silent revolution which is taking place almost everywhere in Lisbon. The building, dating from the Pombaline era and subject to various interventions throughout its history, was recovered and underwent a few key modifications: it now has three apartments per floor and possesses a lift. Every attempt was made to preserve the original language of the building, through which it expresses its identity and dialogues with the neighbourhood. The façades are covered in oxblood azulejos, lending it the appropriate sobriety.

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