Categoria de Projeto: Institutional

Lisbon, Portugal

OASRS – Ordem dos Arquitetos da Secção Regional Sul / Order of the Architects of the South of Portugal

The project is a proposal for the extension of the OASRS, located in Lisbon.

The proposal is based on the creation of a new volume, which touches the old facade of the Order in the ground level creating an interior patio giving access to the restaurant, which should function independently from the institution. The new pavilion mirrors the city, where its the fundamental intention is to become immaterial, and at times invisible by mirroring its immediate context, history and the protected building of the original Order of the Architects. 

Despite the extremely degraded state of the facade, which composes the urban quarter, it is an important part of the scale and identity of the place. Hence the project keeps the memory of the old facade and the continuity of the urban fabric by creating a sectioned metal skeleton mimicking the volume of the building; these standalone sections of the facade allow for a visual permeability into the building quarter and garden. Where the old doors stood, the project gives room to urban benches for the street, which aim to respond to the local and vivid social scene. Programmatically speaking, the new pavilion is connected to the old building through its new gallery space which transitions organically into the annexe of the Order giving access to the new classroom spaces. Lastly, the Pavilion has a restaurant/bar incorporated in its base facing the streets and patio. 

Brasília, Brazil

IAB – Instituto de Arquitetos do Brasil / Institute of Architects of Brazil

CAU-BR (Conselho de Arquitetura e Urbanismo do Brasil / Brazilian Council of Architecture and Urbanism)

With the aim to create a spatial relation between these two institutions, IAB and CAU-BR, we chose to use a familiar element in Brasilia’s architecture: the pilotis. The pilotis in association with the natural slope of the terrain is courted with a bucolic garden, creating a ramp which wants to be lived! Like an open air auditorium. The bucolic character must be present in the first contact with the building, and this is spread vertically through an axis of trees creating a living filter between the two institutions, IAB and CAU, permeating the circulation gallery which is placed in every floor attenuating the brutal concrete skeleton.

This gallery creates a spatial, social and physical relation between the two buildings countering the traditional and obsolete notion of the waiting room, which is abundant in the program demanded. In the facing galleries the rail curves itself into an outdoor bench functioning as the waiting rooms.

In a simple structure we chose to concentrate all infrastructure and work with an open plan system with removable panels always maintaining the flexibility to adapt and grow the space internally. In order to respond to the solar orientation and winds the building has an external membrane of “brises” which also unifies these two buildings turning them into a single facade and architecture.

Cascais, Portugal

The architecture of the new school stands out with its character somewhat brutalist in the city due to its materiality and aesthetic, with three similar and pure volumes standing out through its rough exposed concrete.

The main building and long suspended block on pilotis has its facade composed of vertical and horizontal wooden brises which contrast with the rough and bare concrete and creates a warm layer that frames the windows in a somewhat random fashion. Despite its dynamic and arbitrary character on the exterior, these brises obey a regular and uniform rigor in the interior of the classroom modules that are repeated along the building’s facade. Under this volume, the main entrance of the school is placed in the extremity of the cantilevered architecture creating a semi-covered square blending into the urbanism becoming both the school and the public space of the city.   

The Cascais School, more than a school, in its traditional sense breaks from its primitive, secluded and enclosed urban plot, embracing the city and sharing its diverse landscape allowing for a continuous horizontal porousness. Once the school is closed, side the doors open on to the internal patio giving uninterrupted access to the sports pavilion, auditorium, library and park in an independent manner from the school allowing for various activities to happen becoming a venue for cultural and social and events to happen.

The main volume is distributed in three storeys and it houses all of the formal primary programme for the functioning of the school. The transparent base is permeable and houses the canteen and services. In the two upper floors, the classrooms are disposed along the facades with a central corridor. the administrative offices are on the upper floor of the school. Raising the main building as a design strategy created two square-like voids on both extremities of the building, one exterior and one interior, which confers a sheltered patio for the students to use on a pause or school break.

The second block, grounded and distributed in two storeys, houses the library and auditorium. This volume is connected to the school building through bridges that cross the open corridors on the ground level. The third and last volume is the sports Pavilion and is physically disconnected from the other blocks being accessed only by the patio of the school or the park. This volume is also placed over pilotis and they confer a covered passage and marks the entry to the park.

Conceptually, the project attempts to create a direct relation between the public realm and the urban landscape. Hence the project retraces the urban fabric connecting an existing cul-de-sac to the main road contouring the school and the covered square in the entrance, which conveniently allows for drop-offs and pick-ups of students to happen. As for the integration of the existing pine-tree park, the proposal envisions a wild and quasi-untouched forest setting where a continuous serpentine-like object contours the trees and makes its way through the park. This continuous object was designed to serve as a permanent seating area that would allow for the children’s imagination to decide its many uses. Furthermore, for younger children it would serve as a guideline in and out of the park.  

The phasing of the project is perfectly articulated in the project and is divided in two parts. The first phase represents the larger intervention both urban and architecturally speaking, nonetheless it does not condition the functioning of the current school. Additionally, the construction of the second phase does not condition the functioning of the school in the new building after its completion either. And thus can be done after the completion of phase one.

Barrancos, Portugal

Conceptually, this Project is meant to mark the ritual of parting, a passage which terminates in a mineral object which sits on the hill. Its dark and robust exterior contrasts with its light interior in its quasi-white concrete texture and abundant light. Facing the horizon, in a contemplative attempt to embrace the silence and the revolving nature a long veranda extends over the olive tree field.

Facing the cemetery, the square acts as a viewpoint terrace for the town and also functions as a venue public gatherings and activities. The Mortuary house in its design and placement intends to extend the minerality of the terraced square creating seating areas in the form of stairs connecting the lower street. The new bleachers facing the view creates a place for reverie and establishes a clear intentional and ceremonial connection between the square and the mortuary house.    

The idea of a standalone object on olive-tree fields was meant to accentuate the contemplative nature of the place, hence its subtle presence and materiality.