"TORRE DA CIDADE" OFFICE BUILDING
An abstract monolith with 20 x 45 x 63.5 m rests on the horizontal plane of
the new square - garden, which follows the rise of the final section of
Avenida 5 October , now redesigned on the shape of a rectangular
block , reinventing " neutral and open to the urban mesh " plan of Lisbon
new Avenues of Frederico Ressano Garcia .
The elementary prismatic volume and the apparent simplicity of the
design of the façade give the building an affirmative neutrality while able
to relate to the diversity of genres and scales that characterize the other
buildings of the place , and yet distinguishing them .
The black color enhances the abstract nature and is , as in other areas ,
that best conveys a certain understated elegance that we want to
emphasize here .
Rather than add a texture or other design in the city , we became
interested in the possibility of a very simple and effective organization's
extensive functional program volume , and only due to a certain
proportion , the absence of a certain color, can be ultimately just so , a
correct solution .
20 x 63.5 x 45
On the boulevard, the black volume goes down to find the
perpendicular plane of the thickness of the square and is suspended a
few meters from the promenade dimension , revealing the bright
windows of new stores .
The basis of this set is empty light .
The black works as a background , a frame of slate where it writes , for
example , in white letters , the poem ' Lisboa ' Sophia de Mello Breyner
Andresen .
On the square in white Lios stone ( to emphasize again Lisboa) we plant
lilac jacaranda trees and green palms and pines , a reclaimed exotic
fancy but distinctive ambience of the gardens of the former Hotel Aviz ,
one of the most emblematic hotels in Lisbon , arise next block , now
occupied by the Sheraton hotel .
TEAM
VENTURA TRINDADE arquitectos
João Maria Ventura Trindade (general coordination), Filipe Ribeiro Nunes, João de Melo Veiga, Marcelo Moreira e Silva, Vasco Nobre Lopes,
Ana Pedro Ferreira, Pedro Maria Ribeiro
STRUCTURE and INFRASTRUCTURAL SYSTEMS
AFACONSULT, lda.
Rui Furtado (Afaconsult, lda.), Isabel Sarmento (Afaconsult, lda.), Raul Serafim (Afaconsult, lda.), Paulo Silva (Afaconsult, lda.), with Paulo Cardoso (PRPC Engenheiros lda.)