From left to right: Matilde, Luísa, and Maria do Mar (Palácio Ficalho, spring 1983). Photograph by Maria José Gago
THE HOUSE: OUR PERSPECTIVE
Palácio Ficalho is not a static place. It is an open house to interact with the past, the future, and reflect on all of us.
We inherited a house that bears witness to a larger history, one that goes beyond us. At the same time, this is the house where our family story has unfolded, where we grew up, where we heard stories from our parents and grandparents, and learned from them.
Our aim is to create new memories of this place by sharing with you not only its history and beauty, but also the perspective of those who see it as a home (with all that this perspective entails). Achieving this with openness of spirit and imagination, while respecting the age-old balance of things and, at the same time, ensuring the preservation of the building, is our challenge.
Three women — a mother and two daughters — with not always identical approaches, have learned to work together, through negotiation and building consensus. This journey has been a wonderful adventure, and we believe we can continue it, now in dialogue with other institutions and grounded in a broad, long-term programme.
The start of guided tours in the spring of 2021 was the first step in opening the house to the public. This was followed by the reconfiguration of spaces to host events, productions, and cultural initiatives. Finally, we also launched an architectural project that considers the house and garden as a whole, including future accommodation facilities and artistic/scientific residencies.
For us, this is not a static place. It is a house that exists to interact with the past, the future, and to reflect on all of us.
Matilde, Luisa e Maria