PLATFORM OF ARTS AND CREATIVITY BY PITAGORAS ARQUITECTOS

"The Platform for Arts and Creativity is a project based on an infrastructure that has transformed the Old Open Market Area of Guimarães into a multifunctional space dedicated to artistic, cultural and social-economic activity.

This multipurpose space is dedicated to arts and various creative endeavours and it kicks off with an exhibition by Portuguese painter José de Guimarães, with pieces from his private collection of pre-Colombian, African and Chinese art.

Pitágoras Arquitectos is an architectural firm based in Portugal with 20 years of experience. It’s growing team is now made up of 14 people, led by its four senior architectural partners, Fernando Seara de Sá, Raul Roque Figueiredo, Alexandre Coelho Lima and Manuel Vilhena Roque.

In collaboration with external partners, it creates an overall multidisciplinary team that embraces every comission, local or international, large or small, to meet client expectatons and desires, always founded on strong architectural principles and ethics.

An interdisciplinary practice that works all architectural fields: from interior design to urban planning, including residential, health and equipment for both the private and public sector, developing projects from concept design through to tender packages and field management.

Over the years, Pitágoras Arquitectos have created a strong and solid body of work, which has been recognised through accumulated awards and publication of various buildings."

Location: Guimarães, Portugal

Architects: Pitagoras Arquitectos

Project: Platform of Arts and Creativity

PitágorasArquitectos: Fernando Seara de Sá, Arq., Raul RoqueFigueiredo, Arq., Alexandre Coelho Lima, Arq., Manuel LuísVilhenaRoque, Arq.

Collaborators: João Couto, Arq., Marlene Sousa, Arq., Carla Guimarães, Arq., João Carvalho, Arq., Fernando Torres, Arq., Mariana Santos, Arq., André Malheiro, Arq., Francisco Oliveira, Des., Hélio Pinto, Des.

Foundations and Structures: Projegui, Lda., AntónioMonteiro Castro, Eng. Civil, Marco Beleza Vieira, Eng. Civil, Carlos Dias, Eng.

Landscape:PitágorasArquitectos, Jorge Maia, Arq. Paisagista

Photography: Joao Morgado – Architectural Photography

source: Pitagoras Arquitectos

OIL FACTORY BY RICARDO BAK GORDON

The olive oil factory Marmelo Mill, was designed in order to answer all the functional requests to become the largest olive oil mill in Portugal, but also to reveal the attitude of the company regarding its cultural strategy respect to their clients and landscape.

For this project the portuguese architect Ricardo Bak Gordon, has won the 2011 FAD Award with his project “2 Casas em Santa Isabel”, worked together with people who love experimenting in many areas and who, just like him, seek cultural approaches towards landscapes and towards the hidden charms of commercial buildings. The logical consequence is the conjugation of efficiency and timelessness along with the relation to the surrounding scenery, the result is a building peacefully lying as an abstract, white volume at the heart of a plantation, embedded among 3 million olive trees.

The architect had to face two important questions: What is it that can make an oil factory interesting and how can the factory be connected with the local conditions? The consistent attitude towards landscapes is an important relation point for any architect in Portugal. Apart from a good technical execution, the operating company also made a careful handling of the surrounding landscape a requirement. This had become a guiding line for Ricardo Bak Gordon and a crucial criterion for his work.

The beauty of the design of the Herdade do Marmelo oil factory is unveiled through the feeling of floating. The factory has been designed in a way that the olive plantation reaches the building directly. The building has two horizontal levels. The lower level establishes the connection with the soil, and the dark color of the walls goes along. The second level, however, is bright and white. It floats, carried by stilts, above the lower level and spans in two directions with its projecting arms. The workers are protects from the weather by these arms. The whole work area is generously lit.

The building is a striking eye-catcher which is not only visible during the day. During the olive harvesting period, the building can already be seen from a distance 24/7, since the projecting arms are illuminated at night.

Whether it’s the consequent approach is the result of his thoughts or the response to the principal’s requirements, Ricardo Bak Gordon can handle the construction of an oil factory with the same sensitiveness as building a residential complex or a museum.

The beauty of the design of the Herdade do Marmelo oil factory is unveiled through the feeling of floating. The factory has been designed in a way that the olive plantation reaches the building directly. The building has two horizontal levels. The lower level establishes the connection with the soil, and the dark color of the walls goes along. The second level, however, is bright and white. It floats, carried by stilts, above the lower level and spans in two directions with its projecting arms. The workers are protects from the weather by these arms. The whole work area is generously lit.

The building is a striking eye-catcher which is not only visible during the day. During the olive harvesting period, the building can already be seen from a distance 24/7, since the projecting arms are illuminated at night.

Architects: Ricardo Bak Gordon
Location: Ferreira do Alentejo, Portugal

Client: Elaia Lagar
Project Year: 2010
Project Area: 47,723 sqm
Photographs: FG + SG – Fernando Guerra, Sergio Guerra

ILHÉU DE VILA FRANCA

Piccola isola dell’arcipelago delle Azzorre in Portogallo, si trova ad 1 Km. di fronte a Vila Franca do Campo principale centro dell’Isola di S. Miguel.

Quando la natura "simula" le forme geometriche, affascina e cattura la mente di un architettoe vengono in mente le suggestione dei frattali e la ricerca di forme organiche e geometrie sperimentali che ritroviamo nelle  forme delle architetture di Arup.  [vedi approfondimento]

In questo caso la particolare morfologia dell’isola è dovuta allo sprofondamento di un antico vulcano dall’insolita forma circolare formando una piscina naturale dalle acque cristalline dell’Atlantico, con una piccola ma incantevole spiaggia.

Oggi è una Riserva Naturale circondata da una vegetazione endemica cresciuta sulle pareti del cratere ed a sud dell’Isolotto si ergono due scogliere vulcaniche, che offrono riparo ai numerosi uccelli marini ospitati dall’Isolotto.