Project: Quinta da Boa Esperança Residential Scheme, Almada

Type of project: New build

Date: 2022

Phase: Public design competition

description: The project was developed in response to the public design competition launched by IHRU and Almada City Council, called Operation 13 of Quinta da Boa Esperança, and aimed to design a residential scheme comprised of 100 affordable homes with 700 m2 of commercial space.

The project is comprised of five stand alone blocks spread across the plot. The blocks, with 6 floors above ground and a square plan with 18.8m wide equal sides, appear to be cubic in volume. The structure of each block is formed by a central reinforced concrete core for vertical circulation and a column grid around the perimeter.

On the residential floors, the central core provides access to four independent units, one in each building corner, providing dual aspect to all units in order to enhance the natural cross-ventilation of the dwellings. In the corners of the blocks, where the living rooms are located, recessed balconies were created to include a sheltered area for ventilated drying racks.

*Project in collaboration with Arch. Ana Botelho. 3D images by Pedro Freitas