1 December 2014
On the banks of the Minho River, in the northern part of Portugal, is set Vila Nova de Cerveira, a small town an hour’s drive from Oporto, immersed in the picturesque natural beauties of the region of Viana do Castelo and ringed by ancient walls built to protect against attacks by the Spanish. This is the location of the Hotel Minho, recently extended and renovated by the Portuguese firm of architecture Virgula i. Starting out from a preexisting structure built in 2006, JP Pereira and his team have carried out a multifaceted improvement of the property: from the architecture to the interior design and all the way to communication and even the name, which has been shortened from Hotel Turismo do Minho to the simpler Hotel Minho. While respecting the original arrangement, the building’s appearance has been renewed through the introduction of local chestnut wood, the perfect material to give the interiors a warmer look and reduce the visual impact on the surroundings. A dual function that allows a balanced dialogue between the spaces of the building, enriched with new public areas and a spa equipped with every comfort, where the natural light filters through the glass wall that faces directly onto the courtyard. For the rebranding Virgula i has worked with the R2 studio, creating a highly effective set of signs and a new logo, a stylized stag that is the symbol of this region of Portugal.
