Allen House

Category: Civil Architecture > Museum

District: Porto > Porto > Porto > Boavista

Location

Casa Allen is situated in the dynamic Boavista area, in the city of Porto. This central location places it within a vibrant urban environment, characteristic of the Porto metropolis, where historic buildings coexist with the city's contemporary life.

A Historic Legacy

Built in the late 1920s, Casa Allen was originally conceived as the residence of the 3rd Viscount of Villar d'Allen, Joaquim Ayres de Gouveia Allen. The project, designed by architect José Marques da Silva, began in 1927 and was shaped by several alterations requested by the family, both inside the house and on its façade, giving it a unique identity. The Viscount, an engineer and Belgian consul in Porto, was a prominent figure, described as a mix of aristocrat and capitalist, with ties to the old Ramos Pinto family, linked to Port wine.

Architecture and Landscape Design

Casa Allen exemplifies the bourgeois residence model of the era, where the integration between the building and outdoor spaces was fundamental. Its gardens, embracing the house on three fronts, reveal different styles. On the east and south sides, the design is more structured and rational, while on the west side, the garden adopts a more romantic and naturalistic emphasis, influenced by the English style. This duality in the gardens complements the architecture of the house. Within the property, and in harmony with the complex, is the Casa das Artes (House of Arts), a work by architect Eduardo Souto de Moura, inaugurated in 1991. Both buildings and the gardens were classified as a Monument of Public Interest in 2012, attesting to their architectural and cultural value.

An Active Cultural Center

After being acquired by the State in the 1970s, Casa Allen began to host various cultural services. Currently, it remains a hub of cultural activity in the city. It is here that, for example, some services of the Northern Regional Directorate for Culture operate, focused on cultural promotion, and it houses a library and part of its archive. The space offers two versatile rooms for social and cultural activities, such as conferences or seminars, and guided tours are organized that allow exploration of the house and its gardens. Casa das Artes, an integral part of the complex, enriches the offering with its cinemathèque, exhibition pavilion, and auditorium, serving as a venue for debates, exhibitions, and concerts.

License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt