depA hides reflective pavilion within the grounds of porto's serralves foundation

depA, a portuguese architecture practice based in porto, has completed a mirrored pavilion in the grounds of a cultural institution designed by álvaro siza vieira. serralves, which is the most visited museum in portugal, also includes an art deco villa and an 18-hectare park. it is here, on the surface of the park’s lake, where depA has constructed a reflective pavilion used for screening short films. photographed by josé campos, the design seeks to establish an indirect relationship with siza’s museum building, which opened in 1999.

all images by josé campos

depA’s design for the pavilion is a polygon extracted from the museum’s layout, a shape repeated throughout serralves park’s pavements and landscape features. in turn, the concave polygonal configuration provides the ideal setting for a projection space, where ‘o peixe’ a short film by brazilian artist jonathas de andrade is on view. titled ‘liquid pavilion’, the structure is clad with mirrored façades that enhance its context of dense foliage and the water’s reflective surface.

the mirrored pavilion is in the grounds of the most visited museum in portugal

‘the extracted polygon, once implanted in the park and with its original context altered, including the transformation of its shape and materiality, becomes something new and detaches itself from its original source,’ say the architects. internally, the pavilion is filled with color and light, camouflaging itself within its environment. conceived as a bridge between its setting and the art in contains, the pavilion’s interior remains neutral, allowing visitors to discover the video projected inside.

the structure sits on the surface of the park’s lake

the reflective pavilion is used for screening short films

the design seeks to establish a relationship with siza’s nearby museum building

‘o peixe’ a short film by brazilian artist jonathas de andrade, is on view

the structure is clad with mirrored façades that enhance its context of dense foliage

the project has been conceived as a bridge between its setting and the art in contains

the structure sits at the center of the 18-hectare park

the scheme is almost hidden from view

site plan | click for larger version
image courtesy of depA architects

floor plan | click for larger version
image courtesy of depA architects

project info:

architecture: depA architects
design team: carlos azevedo, joão crisóstomo, luís sobral, miguel santos, sara pontes, margarida leitão, ângela meireles, hugo sobrosa
engineering: edgar brito, luís oliveira
construction: otiima art works
photography: josé campos
hosted artwork: o peixe, jonathas de andrade
commission: fundação de serralves