The EDP Foundation Cultural Centre in Lisbon is a project about
water, light, reflections and people – a building that captures the
essence of the unique riverside site and the extraordinary southern
light of Lisbon.
The site is of strategic importance. Acting as the gateway to the
culturally rich area of Ajuda / Belém, the building will be a magnet,
drawing people from the heart of the city to the panoramic views along
the Tagus estuary. The currently neglected riverfront area will be
activated, and the cultural centre will become one of Lisbon’s leading
destinations.
This project is also about democracy. It is a building for the people
– for the people of Lisbon, for cultural visitors and for tourists. It
is a building for culture and leisure that defies the boundaries between
public space and building. A simple and organic gesture creates a
topographic form that blends into landscape making a fluid and natural
relationship between inside and outside – people move over as well as
through the building.
The building creates an attractive landscape, stepping down into the
river Tagus. At high tide the steps are covered with water creating a
constantly changing space that converses with the tide and the
reflections from the water. The reflections play with the overhanging
façade to give unexpected lighting effects both inside and out,
capturing and magnifying the unique light qualities of this south facing
site. An area of welcome shade is naturally created by the cantilevered
structure.
The roof offers panoramic views towards the river as well as across
the cultural area of Ajuda / Belém. In relationship to the Museu da
Electricidade next to it the building is modest in height. It reflects
the horizontal emphasis of the riverfront and is designed to have
minimum visual impact on views from the city. Lisbon’s rich heritage of
complex cobble stone patterns is subtlety reinterpreted and used to
merge the existing materiality of the pathways with new public spaces
that speak of modernity.
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