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LISBON OPEN ROOM COMPETITION

International ideas competition for an architectural proposal of a public facility located in Alfama district.

Located in Alfama district, in a area full of landmarks facing the Tejo river, our project is situated in a urban void close to the Sao Vicente da Fora church, where the existing space already works as viewpoint-plaza.

The project focuses in a double goal to create a NEW MULTIFUNCTIONAL PUBLIC SPACE, with its own identity and, at the same time, place it in a way that allows the activation and gives a new meaning to the public space where it belongs.

The usage of PURE GEOMETRIES and the creation of a new public stage leads us to think about pure proportions and old architectures, such as the roman theatre, the roman Colosseum, the yard of Carlos V Palace in the Alhambra in Granada...

So the strategy of the project is to do a "hole" in the current plaza which hosts the activities and links the paths and the adjacent public spaces.

This new public space, is a circular 20m diameter courtyard, located in the lower level of Campo de Santa Clara street. The entrance at this level perforates the existing retaining wall and connects to the main circular exterior space, which is the multifunctional space required in the competition. From this large circular space begins a perimetral viewpoint-ramp that goes up to the viewpoint-plaza to the upper level. These ramp spaces that envelop the space are like covered streets and, at the same time, as theatre boxes where the spectators walk and perform its own role in the activities or shows that are going on, such as it happens intrinsically in street shows.

The course of the ramp finishes in an intermediate floor that is used as a hall between the circular patio and the viewpoint-plaza on the upper level.

The connection between both levels is made by escalators and elevator placed in the interior of a building-facade where there are the auxiliary requirements of the competition and it also links the functions and gives meaning to the existing viewpoint-plaza (bar, restaurant, lavatories...).