Casa Vicent, Art Nouveau commercial building in Santo Ildefonso, Portugal
Casa Vicent is a two-story commercial building featuring a curved iron facade adorned with intertwining floral patterns and shell-like forms throughout. Golden cast iron decorations cover the entire storefront, creating an ornate visual composition typical of early 20th-century shopkeeping architecture.
The building was constructed in the early 1900s during Porto's economic expansion and received its name from its first occupant, a Spanish merchant. This naming practice was common for commercial properties, which often identified themselves by their founding shopkeeper or proprietor.
The building reflects the taste of Porto's merchant class during a prosperous commercial period through its ornate design choices. The decorative details on the storefront reveal how shopkeepers expressed their success and status through architecture.
The building sits on Rua Professor Vicente José de Carvalho in Porto's historic commercial district, easily accessible on foot. The original interior elements like gilded counters and period lighting remain intact, allowing visitors to see the craftsmanship and materials used during its construction.
The building shares design characteristics with other works by the architectural firm Companhia Aliança located nearby on Rua 31 de Janeiro. This cluster of buildings by the same firm in one area shows how specific architectural practices shaped the appearance of entire streets during the commercial boom.
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