The company has secured an important historic mansion on Rua 5 de Outubro, a prominent street in the town’s centre, with the objective of transforming the approximately 900 m² structure into a collection of apartments that respect the building’s heritage while adapting it for modern living.
Rural Properties occupies a distinctive niche in a growing trend across central Portugal: restoring historic town-centre buildings in ways that preserve their character while giving them a sustainable new life. While other developers are converting older buildings into boutique hotels or serviced tourist accommodation, Rural Properties focuses on creating interesting, high-quality residential apartments.
Central to the company’s approach is identifying properties that combine architectural character, a strong location and sufficient scale to ensure redevelopment can be undertaken profitably. In smaller historic towns such as Pedrógão Grande, many older buildings retain distinctive façades and original features but require such extensive work and investment that they appeal only to private buyers intending to occupy the property themselves once renovations are completed.
The building on Rua 5 de Outubro stood out for several reasons. It was commissioned by the prominent Farinha family in the late 19th century. With wealth generated from a highly successful agricultural, land and property business, the two entrepreneurial Farinha brothers each built mansions just 50 metres apart on the same street, in what was then one of the town’s most prestigious locations.
The building is bold in character, its proud façade reflecting commercial success through the solid, traditional architecture of the period while blending naturally into one of the town’s oldest streets.
Equally important as the property itself is the attitude of the local council. While striving to preserve and develop historic buildings in the town centre, in the case of Rua 5 de Outubro, the Câmara President indicated that the municipality would not exercise its legal option to purchase the property, expressing confidence that it would be in safe hands.
Keen to see empty buildings renovated and returned to use as homes, the Council is strongly pro-development, pro-tourism and pro-rental, aiming to avoid unnecessary delays in planning applications, particularly for projects that respect the town’s architectural heritage. Indeed, the response from the urbanisation department was positive and encouraging when consulted about the rebirth of this important mansion, which has stood in Pedrógão Grande longer than any living inhabitant.
Once the purchase negotiations were concluded, the company signed the promissory contract, securing the property and committing both parties to the transaction under defined conditions and timelines. Work has now begun on the technical and planning phases.
Much of the property’s interior was constructed from locally sourced timber. While this contributes to the historic character of the building, it now presents significant safety concerns as the structure has deteriorated after decades of abandonment, with water damage affecting floors, walls and many structural beams.
As a result, there is little option but to dismantle and remove much of the interior on safety grounds. This process will allow the building to be remodelled to current structural standards while still retaining its historic feel.
During the dismantling phase, particular attention will be given to preserving elements that can be reused, especially the hardwood timbers in the attic. After inspection and treatment, these beams may be incorporated into the new design as exposed structural or decorative features. Such elements maintain a visual memory of the original building while ensuring the new underlying structure meets modern safety standards.
Similarly, many original floorboards can be salvaged and reused as flooring, wall cladding or decorative features within the apartments and common areas. This approach allows the project to retain genuine historical materials rather than relying on new finishes designed merely to imitate the past.
While the interior will undergo substantial reconstruction, the street-facing façade will be renovated but remain unchanged in its configuration, preserving the architectural rhythm of the historic centre setting. The exterior walls, built in stone, are generally in good condition and require only limited repairs.
Following the signing of the contract, a specialist topographer was commissioned to produce precise measurements of the building and its footprint. This data forms the technical foundation for architectural drawings by Concepto Studio’s design team and architect, who will develop detailed plans for converting the building into spacious apartments while repurposing key historical elements and integrating energy-efficient heating and cooling systems.
By carefully dismantling the unsafe wooden interior, preserving reusable materials and keeping the historic façade intact, the project demonstrates how heritage buildings can be responsibly adapted for contemporary use without losing their essential character.
By restoring historic buildings and introducing new energy into town centres, developments like this can help strengthen local economies while preserving the architectural identity that makes towns such as Pedrógão Grande unique.
For Rural Properties, this type of development is part of its business mix and its commitment to heritage-led regeneration, bringing new life to a historic building while ensuring its story continues for generations to come.
Read more Paul Rees on property: Central Portugal reels from February storms or The rural property gold rush – hype or reality?
