Fogo Island Studio by Saunders Architecture

The long linear structure of this artist studio on Fogo Island by Saunders Architecture maximises the amount of open wall and floor space. Large windows at either end and a skylight on the roof of the studio allows the maximum amount of natural light to flood the space. Walls were made one metre deep to house storage, toilets and washbasins along with doors that are flush to the wall, thus avoiding any visual distraction inside the space.The studios are placed on pillars at the end towards the sea, while the entrance area has a small concrete foundation for anchoring the construction to the landscape. With this type of construction, the studios can be placed in almost any place on the island. In addition, this allows for the studios to be pre-fabricated in a local workshop during the winter months, and then placed in the landscape in the spring. The main body of the studio is fully enclosed to provide an area of protection and solitude from the outside environment while still providing a connection to the landscape through a strategically framed view of the dramatic surrounding.