This Competition purpose, while inserted in the 2007 Lisbon Architecture Triennale (“Urban Voids”) was to engender solutions and interventions for lost or chaotic spaces in the city of Lisbon.
This proposal leaned over the area in from of the older Lisbon Train Station, Santa Apolonia.
The project relies over the reinterpretation of the concept of the Square, focusing on giving this space, currently occupied by cars, buses and taxis (either circulating or parked) a dignified nature relying on an exclusive pedestrian usage of this space, at street level.
This proposal leaned over the area in from of the older Lisbon Train Station, Santa Apolonia.
The project relies over the reinterpretation of the concept of the Square, focusing on giving this space, currently occupied by cars, buses and taxis (either circulating or parked) a dignified nature relying on an exclusive pedestrian usage of this space, at street level.
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The program is the existing one, but restructured on a flexible logic. The crossing existing road passes diagonally under the square, conciliated with car parking and a space designated for taxis. This Taxi area, open and folded to the exterior, emerges half a meter higher that the rest of the square, responding on two different concerns; the first one, visibility for this public transport and second one, defending a qualitative space for taxi drivers, being comfortable and protective, and simultaneously open to the exterior.
On top, the square topography suggests crossing and resting areas. This morphology reveals a more cosy and empiric appropriation of the public space, with various organic nuances, easily and differently occupied by each user.
Aware of the complexity inherent with these non-regular geometries, one of our aims was also do develop it constructively and demonstrate that was buildable, using CNC Laser Cutters for the metallic structure, and milling machines for the casts of the concrete floor slabs.
Collaboration with Nuno Galvao
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