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The Conception Contest launched by the Municipality of Abrantes foresaw the conversion of the former Municipal Market of Abrantes to a Multipurpose Building. The intervention area, with about 6600 m2, was located on the limits of Abrantes historical center.
Some of the main challenges were to create a building capable of serving as a connection to the city center. The building should also be able to connect the different existing levels as it was located on a large hill.
In the surroundings, problems of excessive car traffic were also identified with a very busy intersection near the corner of the existing building. In this sense, it was imperative to create more space for pedestrians in front of the building (as most of the existing sidewalks were no more than 1 meter wide).
The project had to provide a qualified area through which pedestrians could bypass the entire building and go up from the valley to the historic center without barriers, with less traffic noise and without the danger inherent to the existing design for car circulation.
The drawing is oriented North
The objective was always to maintain the original layout of the pre-existing market in what it had the most value. In this sense, it was decided to replicate the metrics of the main façades for the areas to be expanded.
Car traffic was rethought in order to simplify and avoid the existence of such a busy intersection to the southeast of the building. One of the traffic lanes was diverted to the East, allowing the creation of a continuous pedestrian lane around the building.
In order to create qualified circulation and living spaces around the building, two squares were created at different levels connecting to the main streets. We also designed a continuous boulevard around the building and a garden area in the access to the garage on floor -1.
In addition to the boulevard around the building and the cobbled pedestrian paths, external vertical elements (stairs) were created, designed to serve the city and integrate the building as a whole.
The interior also features stairs and elevators connecting the floors. These could also help the population go up the hill and serve as a motivation to visit the exhibition/fairs/shows inside.
The squares created are a main feature in the project and were designed to be an integral part of the multipurpose functions proposed for the building. This means that an exhibition, fair or any other cultural activity could thus extend beyond the limits of the building into the exterior squares.
Another situation that seemed quite obvious to us, because of the proximity to the historical area of the city, was the reduction in the visual impact that this new building would create on the view from the valley. A building of this size (even the existing one) always presents a significant impact, but what was intended to be avoided was an increase in that impact.
For this, it was decided to keep the existing maximum height and, on the other hand, to lengthen the building very slightly just in order to fulfill its new functions. The option for a metal frame console has, in addition to the reception from the square, the function of reducing the visual impact created by these expansions carried out on the upper floor.
The building and the original facades are easily identifiable by the differences in materiality and color.
With regard to public space, the proposal solves the relationship with the surroundings very well and creates very intuitive axes that clearly facilitate the movement of people who want to access the historic center from the valley.
Inside, the building has 3 floors:
The 1st floor is entirely dedicated to multipurpose functions and their respective accessory functions;
Floor 0 includes a reception/cloakroom, a small bar, a cinema room and various technical areas;
Floor -1 is dedicated to car parking as well as loading and unloading.
A PROJECT DEVELOPED IN A PARTNERSHIP WITH:
ARCHITECT MIGUEL DEL CASTILHO RODRIGUES
LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT VÍTOR PINA.
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