Mies van der Rohe Award 2009

The project is a conversion of a former rundown factory infrastructure that plays a relevant role in the urban context of the city of Tomar, although without any particular architectural interest. Located at the beginning of the city historical centre, the building has been subjected to several attachments and changes over the years, finding itself threatened by some decadence and inadequate for the intended use.
Confronted with the regulation plans, the design maintains the entire external perimeter construction, while its rundown interior is totally scooped out. The new program comprises two distinct areas: a public area for Exhibitions, meetings and cafeteria and a private area consisting of Lecture rooms and accommodation for invited artists.
Therefore and due to the functional program, the new construction establishes itself as the anatomy of the existing building. The private areas are volumetrically defined within the structure, optimized for inhabitability, each with its own access, atmosphere, identity, shape, function and dimension.
The Social life, exhibitions and meetings take place in the interstitial space around the new structure, and are characterized and organized by the programmatic events defined by the enclosed spaces.