[Sines] Sines Arts Centre - Aires Mateus

[Pedro Barradas]

Sines Arts Centre - Aires Mateus e associados, Lda

Architect website is airesmateus (http://www.airesmateus.com/)
or you may learn more at this THREAD (http://www.pushpullbar.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3349)

"The building is situated at the start of the main street linking the town to the sea and marking the traditional entrance to the historic nucleus. The Centre subsumes diverse activities capable of generating an exceptional building: exhibition rooms, a library, cinema-cum-theatre and a documentation centre. The wide-raging program calls for the whole plot to be occupied, enveloping the street below mean ground level and adapting its exterior volumetry to the monumental scale of the castle walls. The four modules are set out on the upper floors in parallel bands intercalated with patios. The decks were hung from a bridge-like structure supported on the perimetral walls alone. This system allows a spatial configuration on the basement level that is adapted to the dimensions of the common areas; at street level it guarantees an unbroken view right across the inside of the building, including the activity of the Centre in the daily life of the town."

Text from airesmateus website

This trip was made last saturday and pictures done with digital Minolta Camera DIMAGE7 (original pics 1600x1200)

[Pedro Barradas]

How to get there...

Sines is situated exactly in middle of Alentejo coast line, 150Km south of Lisbon.
To arrive Sines please see the map below

[Pedro Barradas]

Now, that you arrived SINES, let´s go to the Building...

The Centre at the entrance of Sines Historical Center, between Street Cândido dos Reis and Street Marques de Pombal.
You may come tru the Bus terminal just 5 minites walk, or by car, leaving it on the 2 parking availableareas (near the Castle or near the market) - 3 minites walk. The underground parking of the Center is not open yet.

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Now some "figures"...
The construction of the building cost about 8.2 million Euros :eek:
and was divided in 3 constructions stages:
1st - Foundations and infra-structures bypasses - 976 132 Euro
2nd - Construction and inspection - 5 533 246 Euro
3rd - Furniture and auditorium equipment - 1 352 383 Euro

General Areas:
Plot - 2500m2
Building area - 13 209, 66m2
Archive - 1895,34m2 (14,35%)
Auditorium - 3209,63m2 + 120,76m2 referring to stage (24,30%)
Library - 3029, 23 (22,93%)
Exibition Center - 1585,25 (12%)

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The kmz file

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Some urban enviroment...
The historical area

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Again...

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Let´s have some plans and seccions so we can understand the building before we go there...

Plans from level o and 1

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Plans from level -1 and -2

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Seccions...

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Exterior shots...
Rua Cândido dos Reis... ( the street that intersect the building.. or the building intersect the street)

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Exterior shots...
Rua Cândido dos Reis... other angle

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Exterior shots...
Marquês de Pombal Street...

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Exterior shots...
Marquês de Pombal Street... other angle

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Exterior shots...
View from Rua da Alegria...

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exterior - Some details...

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Exterior - Details 2

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Now let´s go inside... To the Library/ exibition part...
The entrance atrium

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again... the entrance atrium

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The magazines, newspapers room, next to the atrium.... facing the street

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Now we go up to the library (this is part of the meeting area and the bar in the last level )....

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Again the library....

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The library level corridors and circulations

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The last level the big window facing the castle and the sea....
(the bar is in front of the window)

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Now we go underground... to the exibition area
(the exibition area is below Library module, street and auditorium module)

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At the exibition room we can find a model seccion of the building

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Some circulation areas between the modules...

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Some Bathrooms...

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The auditorium and historical archive...
We go up again...

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And now... the auditorium, is from another world.. we leave spaces were the white paint and the Estremoz Marble dominate,
we enter now ,into the dark/ black spaces provided by the auditorium and connected spaces....
I must say it´s strong the feeling of going from one space to the other.... this is architecture (the play of shadows, the opression or not of the spaces, the volumes...)

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Now the auditorium... and formal entrace (from bellow - thru exibition area, or straight from the street)

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And now, the last, a picture of the "man"

Hope you enjoy the trip...

PS. no, I don´t have any picture from the ramp area... :(

[Pedro Barradas]

Just an update... if you are interested, the Centre WEBSITE (http://www.centrodeartesdesines.com.pt/) - not available in english... yet...

[MICHEL]

Excellent thread Pedro! Thanks for the visit! :rock on: :not worth

[takesh h]

An excellent thread, very thorough and a lot of work involved.
Five stars from me.:clap: :clap: :clap:
You have your own style of photographs. I like those tilted images.
They invigorate the page, make viewing a lot more pleasurable.
Thanks for your time and effort...you rock, Pedro.:craqueur:

[SWANK-E]

i am busy saving money for my next trip to europe... still haven't made it to portugal yet :bang head

[Juan Gomez-Velez]

Pedro

You have done a magnificent job in having us walk through this project, to feel its 'gravitas'. The photographs are clear evidence of your interest and enthusiasm. Thank you for sharing with us the things that stir your imagination, passion and admiration.

I can identify myself with the difficulty of integrating a modern structure smack in the middle of a very strong historical context. Old San Juan and many of the smaller towns have similar strong contextual issues.

The idea is to mix, not match with your surroundings. this project does so very well. on the other hand, the complexity, and plush richness of the sections is almost overwhelming. The scale, we do have to say is not. The structure and its spaces come across as intimate, almost small. The interplay of lightwells is intriguing.

I have been smitten by this project, it still has me guessing as I try to think it through. I hope to be able to see it soon, if my travel plans go ahead ( I'm very glad to be somewhat closer to Portugal than you are Kevin!).

Thank you for your generosity in sharing this with us all

Saludos

Juan

[BruceWalker]

Good work Pedro. I'm very impressed with your dissemination of this project - and it looks like an intrigueing project too.

I think maybe this isn't getting a lot of repsonse because the title is in a non-english language. Maybe if you renamed it "Portugal Exhibition Centre" or something - you might get more visitors :)

Well done!

[SWANK-E]

I think maybe this isn't getting a lot of repsonse because the title is in a non-english language. Maybe if you renamed it "Portugal Exhibition Centre" or something - you might get more visitors :)


title changed to Sines Arts Centre for the anglophiles

[takesh h]

The contradiction is interesting.
Simple volumes but comlex spaces inside, very closed outlook yet a lot of light throughout the building.
Plans and sections don't tell much about this contradiction.

The most intriguing thing for me in the entire tirip was....this! Looks like something is hanging, but why?

[Pedro Barradas]

The contradiction is interesting.
Simple volumes but comlex spaces inside, very closed outlook yet a lot of light throughout the building.
Plans and sections don't tell much about this contradiction.

The most intriguing thing for me in the entire tirip was....this! Looks like something is hanging, but why?

Didn´t had time to participate in the technical conference (Lisbon, 200Km from were I live) 2 days early, but from what I could understand, the building is a succession of bridges... made with precasted beams and then tensioned at site. I believe those metalic elements are suspending the actual floor...

[kschetan]

wonderful trip pedro.... 5 stars from my side.
the contextual release of the built form is commendable, but i felt the interiors died except for the sky lights which again is very formal.....

[guaucorreo]

great, great pedro