Vila Nova de Foz Côa, Portugal
The following description is courtesy of Menos é Mais Arquitectos.
Of the Place
The rugged topography and the Douro River physically marks the limits of the landscape and the views. The site, a steep valley with orange trees planted in terraces and a seasonal water line, these are the constraints/ conditions to the implantation of the new construction. It is intended to guarantee the conservation and preservation of the natural and biological processes, indispensable to the existing ecosystems.
The Program
The request of
The Idea
The site/place dictate the rules. The rules demanded that the valley remained “almost” untouched. A suspended structure, standing only in two points guarantee the minimum impact with the soil. The drawing sought to synthesize the most correct proportions of the space, rigor of the pre-established metrics, admissible loads, details systematization, and essentially the coherence in the utilization of the materials. The architectonic object sought to come closer to the concept of a “bridge”, to the concept of infrastructure.
Project Details
Project: 2013-2014
Construction: 2014- 2018
Client: Quinta do Vallado, Sociedade Agrícola, Lda
Location: Castelo Melhor, Vila Nova de Foz Côa, Portugal
Area: 505 m²
Architecture
Architects: Menos é Mais Arquitectos Associados, Lda.
Authors: Francisco Vieira de Campos
Project Manager: Francisco Vieira de Campos
Project Team: Inês Mesquita, Cristina Maximino
Engineering
Structural Engineer: Eulália Soares (Newton-C, Lda)
Hydraulic Installations: Francisco Reis (Newton-C, Lda)
Electrical Equipment, Security and Telecomunications Installations: Maria da Luz (Alfa Consult, Lda)
Mechanical Installations: Raul Bessa (GET, Lda.)
Acoustic consulting: Eulália Soares (Newton-C, Lda)
Constructor: João Veiga-construções, Lda
Wood Constructor: Rusticasa -construções, Lda
Mechanical Installations: Norinstelnor, Instalações Especiais S.A.
Electrical Equipment and Telecomunication Installations: LGB – Sociedade de Projetos e Infraestruturas Eléctricas e de Telecomunicações, Lda
Carpentry: Jolcaz-Carpintaria Unipessoal, Lda
Supervising: Códio-projectos Coordenação E Direcção De Obras, Lda
Interior Decoration: Menos é Mais com João Álvares Ribeiro
Photography: José Campos, Francisco Vieira de Campo