In an exclusive location, right at Marquês de Pombal at the top of Avenida da Liberdade, stands the iconic Diário de Notícias building, now transformed into a remarkable residential project – 266 Liberdade. Designed by the renowned architect Porfírio Pardal Monteiro and featuring grand works by Almada Negreiros, this is one of Lisbon’s most emblematic buildings, a living testament to our country’s history and now the perfect refuge for those who choose the city as their home. At the invitation of CBRE and JLL, responsible for marketing the shop located in the distinguished building hall, Kinda took on the space’s interior design project, supported by Horto do Campo Grande with the supply of plants.
Anyone passing through Marquês de Pombal roundabout, or starting down Avenida da Liberdade, cannot remain indifferent to it. The bold and modernist Diário de Notícias building was the country’s first architectural work built to house a newspaper, which was already 76 years old at the time.
Built in 1940, the project by architect Porfírio Pardal Monteiro won the prestigious Valmor Prize in the year of its inauguration, standing out as the first modern building on one of Lisbon’s most iconic avenues. Classified as a property of public interest since 1986, the Diário de Notícias building aimed to bring together offices and industry in the same space, with the newsroom facing Avenida da Liberdade and the printing press facing Rua Rodrigues Sampaio. Pardal Monteiro designed the entire work so that the façade would pay tribute to the press and the work in the printing house, creating a tower that became one of the building’s symbols, recognized by all.
A New (and Enchanting) Story to Tell
Since the 1940s, the Diário de Notícias building has witnessed the main events that marked the country and the world. A memorable building with an unforgettable past, which saw the various works of promising writers and artists who distinguished themselves on the national scene and where hundreds of journalists wrote the stories that filled the newspaper’s pages. Due to its importance in the history and life of the city and country, the Diário de Notícias building could not be forgotten in the past and has now been converted into a residential development: 266 Liberdade.
The rehabilitation project promoted by AVENUE was entrusted to Contacto Atlântico Arquitectos, whose objective was to honor Pardal Monteiro’s work and preserve a unique heritage legacy, creating residential and commercial spaces equipped with technical, functional, and aesthetic characteristics suited to new lifestyles. The rehabilitation restored the building to its original splendor, restoring façades and designing renovated interiors to combine comfort and elegance, history and contemporaneity. It was meticulous work, always with the intent of preserving all the distinctive elements of the newspaper’s former headquarters, such as the recognized lettering at the top of the building, and integrating into the new interiors the historic and artistic elements of the period, such as the revolving door in the entrance hall, the iron elevator shaft, and the marble floor and wall coverings. The former newsrooms, library, and old printing house, which witnessed the bustle of various events in Portuguese history, now give way to welcoming, comfortable, and inviting spaces that inspire you to enjoy happy days and peaceful nights in the heart of Lisbon. The iconic frescoes by Almada Negreiros, created especially for this building, such as the “Great Planisphere” and the “Four Allegories to Portugal and the Press,” have also been preserved and now bring life to the entrance hall and a shop on the ground floor.
Living in the premises of a former newspaper? A unique experience.
Committed to providing an exclusive experience, 266 Liberdade offers 34 apartments of different types distributed across 5 floors and private parking: comfortable studios, ranging from 1-bedroom to 3-bedroom units, with areas between 47 and 406 m2, prepared to accommodate families, large or small, up to the exclusive 5-bedroom penthouse apartment. The two basement floors, where the newspaper’s printing operated, are now allocated to 47 private parking spaces. And because it is a place that honors historical tradition with a unique new residential concept, the apartments facing Avenida da Liberdade – the former newsroom and administration services of the newspaper – feature a classic architectural style, preserving Pardal Monteiro’s legacy such as the wooden floors and Sintra marble stones, combined with the elegance of the present. The former printing house facilities, which gave rise to the apartments facing Rua Rodrigues Sampaio, take on a more contemporary atmosphere, with simple and modern details, highlighted by the large windows that invite Lisbon’s unmistakable light to enter. A truly exceptional project with an unforgettable past, where every detail has been carefully considered to provide a unique experience with all the amenities. For those who choose to live in a unique place, where history breathes and with a privileged location, there are still some apartments available at 266 Liberdade.
© Companhia das Cores for Horto do Campo Grande
