The Portuguese architecture firm of João Tiago Aguiar has designed this elegant classic-meets-modern apartment on a river bank in their home country. Dafundo Apartment features everything we've come to expect from great minimal spaces: open and airy rooms, abundant natural light, and few furnishings.

The modern design of Dafundo Apartment merges effortlessly with its classic building. I love how the traditional wood floors sparkle against modern walls of pure white. Decorative ceiling features and iron rails provide a subtle hint of the residence's past while remaining fully incorporated into the present day design.

A defining feature of the dwelling is the long rows of columns in the main living areas. Reminiscent of the structures of ancient Greece and Italy, the columns provide a division of space without interrupting the flow of natural light. Terraces abound in this dwelling, stretching the full length of the apartment and providing picturesque views of the river bank. This view is particularly important for the home's residents, who are marine biologists, and therefore wanted to maximise their daily relationship with the water. A sleek concrete and marble bathroom adds a touch of the contemporary, eliminating any question that this apartment is not thoroughly modern.

Dafundo Apartment proves that minimal design can enhance any building, no matter how previously un-minimal it may have been.

Photography by Fernando Guerra FG+SG.