Torres Vedras Carnival Arts Centre

The proposal is located on the old slaughterhouse’s site, on the north zone of Torres Vedras city. The new construction is deliberately disconnected in terms of shape of the old building, emphasizing it. This option enables the lengthening of the exterior public space do the inside of the plot, creating new walking paths around the building.

The proposal takes advantage of de terrain’s morphology and slope, turning into a kind of a continuation of the existing cliff. It develops in a “U” shape, with patios that have a axial, physical and visual relation with the old slaughterhouse. The rooftop of the proposal is like a green carpet public space, a meeting and celebration point that also can assume exhibition purposes.

Regarding the building image, it makes a compromise between the roughness of the cliff and the programs theme. The facades in concrete contrasts with its random openings, colorized fractal gaps allusive to the Carnival, that bring the party and joy feeling of this event. The sunlight that penetrates the interior spaces dyes the white walls of color. The building becomes in a white canvas in permanent mutation, bringing more dynamic to the exhibitions inside. The same happens during the night, when the artificial light comes out, colorizing the exterior public space.

The playful aspect of the Carnival happens not only on the flexibility of the exterior spaces but also in the interior development: the game of platforms at different highs is carried to the interior leading the exhibition organization in different levels. As in a Carnival parade, is given the possibility to the visitors of the New Carnival Art Centre to discover the spaces in many ways, without ever constraining the perception of it.