The Modernist
I was born in Faro, Algarve but my roots were set inland in Bordeira, Santa Barbara de Nexe. However, every time I'm visiting my family I like to go for a walk through Faro, have a café and inhale the unique pastry smell of the Gardy Croissanteria. Faro is slowly coming to life. Until now, it felt like a sleeping beauty. For a city, Faro is actually very calm and you won't feel any hectic. This time, I decided to stay in the city and my decision lead me to The Modernist.
The Modernist should be any architect's first choice when visiting Faro and its surrounding. This place is rather an architectural experience than a vacation hotel. The Modernist consists of six suites, each with a kitchen and outdoor space. The building was renovated by Portuguese award-winning Architecture studio Par (mostly known for Casa Modesta) in full respect of its original Mid-Century Modern Design. I specially fell in love with the harmony of the interior architecture. Original materials (stone, wood, windows) were perfectly combined with original furniture pieces made by artisans. Every detail as for example the door handles, lighting and curtains is well thought out. I stayed in suit 3B and for me it's the most beautiful one with its private terrace overlooking faro and the marina. Although The Modernist is situated in the city center, it was very quiet in the evening.
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The makers are a French-Portuguese couple, Angie and Chris. They decided to do a one year Portugal experience and moved with their children to Algarve in 2019 to build up The Modernist. Their plan was never to stay longterm but the family fell in love with southern Portugal's beauty and specially their sons did not want to go back to Paris. And so, they decided to embarque on a new life journey in Algarve. When listening to their story, I truly felt that they just followed their heart in every step they made. And Angie confirmed, that moving to Portugal was a natural process, it just happened and felt right for the whole family.
Today, The Modernist is more than just a place to stay. It wants to promote Portuguese modern architecture and preserve its heritage. I didn't know for instance that Faro has one of the largest concentrations of modern architecture in South Europe. Visionary architects, most who graduated from the prestigious"Architecture School of Porto" (ESBA) came to the Algarve and brought their own spin on Bauhaus and the International Style, reworking it for the Algarve environment.
I love the green marble (Verde Viana) in the kitchen in combination with the water tap by Bruma.
Green back yard for a break on hot days.
While staying at The Modernist you can learn about the city and its architectural background as well as enjoy the most beautiful Ria Formosa. It's also the perfect place to stay at with children as you have your own fully equipped kitchen and lots of space.
Thank you for having me, I will come back!
Book your stay: www.themodernist.pt
Pictures © The Modernist