[Lisbon] Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Rectory Building - Aires Mateus

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The rectory building (1998 - 2001) is formed by two volumes: a horizontal volume extending below the ground level that houses all the main spaces, and a vertical slab containing the office areas.
The roof of the lower volume is treated as a stair / public square, allowing the connection between the two different existing levels of the site.
The building is completely clad in white limestone, hence emphasizing its monolithic appearance.
The west facade with its randomly placed windows framing views towards Monsanto Park diverts from the actual scale of the building by not making immediately evident its number of levels, and emphasizes its strong visual presence.
The building was awarded the 2002 Lisbon Municipal Architecture Prize (Prémio Valmor)

Aires Mateus PPB² LINK
Aires Mateus WEBSITE

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Adress:
Reitoria da Universidade Nova de Lisboa
Campus de Campolide
1099-085 Lisboa – Portugal

Opening hours:
The building can be seen freely from the outside, but to visit the interior you need to schedule a guided tour. The request for guided visits to the Rectory Building must be asked 8 days in advance. For contact and guided tour info, refer to the Rectory’s website ---> LINK
Visiting hours: Monday: 9:30h-13:00h and 14:30h-15:30h; Friday: 9:30h-13:00h

How to get there:
Metro – BLUE LINE - São Sebastião station - use the Northwest exit of the station to Avenida António Augusto de Aguiar, walk East along Avenida Ressano Garcia and continue along Rua da Mesquita until you get to the building (blue route on the map).
Bus – Nr 58 (Portas de Benfica- Cais Sodré) drop off at Rua de Campolide (escola) and walk West along Travessa de Estevão Pinto (red route on the map).

In this area don’t miss also the Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian just a little to the North of the Metro station. It’s a foundation dedicated to the arts, set in a beautiful park, and its main building, from the 1960s, has been recently clasified as a national monument (on the upper right corner of the map, Jardim Calouste Gulbenkian).

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Google Earth Placemark

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The following photos are not mine. They are by Tobias de São Pedro and are used here with his kind permission.

Approaching from the West

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Closing in on the building

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North facade

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Entrance on the North facade

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Angle

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East facade

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View from North with entrances defined by cuts in the stair surface. The building in the background is an old Jesuite college, currently part of the university campus.