Platform of Arts and Creativity
/
0 Comments
Firm
The
buildings that make up the Municipal Market and the space defined by
them, commonly referred to as "the square", a name inherited from market
square are, as a unit, characteristic elements of the urban landscape
of the city of Guimarães. The grounds of the old municipal market
boasted a privileged and very central location with excellent accesses,
very close to the Toural Square and the historic center.With this
project, the transformation of the marketplace into a multifunctional
space dedicated to artistic, economic, cultural and social activities
within the scope of European Capital of Culture 2012, allowed for the
physical and functional reintegration into the urban fabric, to become a
reality and so, to recover one key area of the city space. In addition,
the operation extended to adjacent plots, enabling the regeneration of
the interior space of the block, which was completelyuncharacterized, as
a result of its occupation by a marble processing industry.
The program
provided a clear concept and defined the objectives intended to achieve
with this infrastructure, listing a series of skills and spaces that
constitute the functional program for both the new and the existing
buildings, as well as the adjacent plots of land. For this purpose three
major program areas were defined: -Art Center, which houses a permanent
collection, in this case the Collection of José Guimarães, temporary
exhibition area, a multipurpose space for additionalactivities,
performances and shows, in addition to a series of complementary
services.-Creative Labs (business support offices) for the reception and
installation of activities related to creative industries, allowing the
development of business projects.-Workshops to Support Emerging
Creativity, consisting of workspaces and creative vocation for young
creators in various areas, hoping to develop projects on a temporary
basis.Finally, the intent to recover the existing building on the
eastern side, trying to promote the installation of additional
commercial activities that could enhance the creation of a space with a
broad scope in regards to multidisciplinary cultural activities.
The
whole structure, according to the program would complement the existing
equipment in the city, as well as those which are under development
within the European Capital of Culture. When interpreting the program,
we aimed to allow for the possibility of each one ofits components to
function independently and simultaneously, creating accesses to each of
the various services and support areas, as well as to the outdoor square
and garden.We opted for a methodology of intervention that involves the
rehabilitation of the existing building to the east, keeping the
materials and textures, but redoing the entire inside at level 0. For
the building at north, and for reasons previously mentioned, the façade
towards the Avenue, which characterizes the building, is renovated, but
its interior and façade facing the square were object of and almost
complete demolition and redesign. Although it is intended to maintain
the scale andthe existing formal relations, we propose a new solution
for the building that promotes a strong relationship with the square and
emphasizes the relationship of this structure with the outer space.
The
new building takes a radically different language, by contrast with
itssurroundings, both from the standpoint of their language and image,
discrete, repetitive, as well as by the succession of volumes, with full
and empty, marked by the juxtaposition of contrasting surfaces. The
coatings, a grid of metal profiles in brass and glass surfaces
chromatised on ventilated façades, accentuates a range of textures that
is intended display, more dense and opaque in the majority of faces in
the case of the metal structure, and transparent when it covertly comes
to glass surfaces that intentionally conceal the few openings that the
building comprises.
This series of volumes and dissonant elements, which
result from decomposition of the initial volume, was originated by the
need to create a variety of different spaces in the exhibition area,
creating a tension evident in the volume of the building and the
relationship with the space of the square, making it the main feature of
its design.For the square, we formulated a proposal with a drawing
significantly more aseptic and a coating with large concrete slabs, as a
counterpart to the surrounding buildings, characterized as a large
reception and a multifunctional meeting area, translated into a physical
platform, summing its vocation as public space by nature. It will be an
area purposely under fitted, with the preservation of the large trees
to the east, by introducing some elements of vegetation along the north
building, but leaving most of the free space allowing for the
development of numerous spontaneously or organized activities, in the
scope of the Platform or not. The urban furniture used in the square
comprises moveable elements, allowing for a more versatile use.
