menos é mais unifies azores arts complex with abstract concrete volume

menos é mais unifies azores arts complex with abstract concrete volume
photography by josé campos

located on the portuguese island of azores, this contemporary arts complex seeks to unite the site’s various buildings, while retaining their original industrial character. designed by menos é mais arquitectos, a strong dialogue is established between the existing building, a former tobacco factory, and the new insertion, a concrete volume that contains galleries, performance space and laboratories. rather than exaggerating the differences between old and new, the intervention serves as a unifying presence, calmly asserting itself on the urban fabric. a public space emerges at the center of the plan, providing guests with an area for both contemplation and relaxation.

the new building calmly asserts itself on the existing streetscape

the concrete structure contains galleries, performance space and laboratories

the intervention serves as a unifying presence

a strong dialogue is established between the former tobacco factory and the new structure

inside the large performance space at ground level

glazing spans both lateral elevations

the scheme creates a series of intimate spaces

the new structure features an abstract series of angles and volumes

the view from the rear of the site, looking towards the street

project info:

competition: 2007 (1st prize)
project: 2007-2010
construction: 2011- 2014
client: regional directorate of culture (drac) of the regional government of the azores
location: ribeira grande, são miguel, azores, portugal
area: 12.914 sqm (9.736 sqm buildings + 3.178 sqm exterior arrangement)

architecture
architects: menos é mais arquitectos associados, lda., joão mendes ribeiro arquitecto lda.
authors: francisco vieira de campos, cristina guedes, joão mendes ribeiro
project managers: adalgisa lopes, jorge teixeira dias, inês mesquita, filipe catarino
project team (menos é mais arquitectos associados, lda.): cristina maximino, joão pontes, luís campos, ana leite fernandes, mariana sendas, pedro costa, inês ferreira, joão fernandes
project team (joão mendes ribeiro arquitecto, lda.): catarina fortuna, ana cerqueira, ana rita martins, antónio ferreira da silva, cláudia santos, joana figueiredo, joão branco
image post-production/competition: diogo laje, óscar ribas, ricardo cardoso (estúdio goma)

engineering
structural engineer: hipólito sousa, jerónimo botelho, pedro pinto (SOPSEC,SA)
hydraulic installations: diogo leite, filipe freitas, jorge rocha (SOPSEC,SA)
electrical installations: raul serafim, hélder ferreira (raul serafim & associados, lda)
security measures and fire consulting: maria da luz santiago (raul serafim & associados, lda)
mechanical installations: raul bessa, ricardo carreto (GET, lda.)
gas installations: josé pinto (SOPSEC,SA)

specialist / consulting
programming consulting: elisa babo (quaternaire), miguel von haff pérez, marta almeida
conservation and restoration consulting: gabriella casella (cariátides)
acoustic consulting: rui calejo, eduarda silva, filomena macedo (SOPSEC,SA)
thermal consulting: andré apolinário (SOPSEC,SA)
stage mechanics consulting: joão aidos
landscaping: ana barroco, rui figueiredo (quaternaire)

constructor: consórcio somague, marques s.a. e tecnovia.
supervising: pedro câmara (eng. tavares vieira, lda.)
photography: josé campos

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