architecture for
Transcription
architecture for
architecture for tour i sm Issue 2 ⁄ Vol. 1 summer 2009 published annually free download version also available at www.promontoriotourism.net A review of recent buildings, projects and concepts by pro mon tor io arc hi t e c t s Victoria sets the standard Why golfing in the Algarve will never be the same pag 214 / Designing for Doha A proposal for a new city of leisure next to Qatar’s capital pag 252 / The Trojan horse Troia Design Hotel is the upcoming destination on Europe’s West Coast pag 82 / Arles golf resort Playing in Van Gogh’s backyard pag 224 / Alcácer or Al Qaşr How an ancient Arab and Roman river town is fast emerging to tourism prominence pag94 / New waves at China beach Masterplanning Vietnam’s surfing paradise pag 76 / Algarve’s Luxury Collectibles Take off soon for The Terraces at Sheraton usd $31 uk £20 EUr €22 Pine Cliffs pag 108 CANASTA | DESIGN PATRICIA URQUIOLA | www.bEbITALIA.COm LA RGO DE SAN TOS N º 14D - 1200-808 L I S bOA - P OR TUGAL T. +35 1213933170 mAIL@PARIS-SETE.COm www.PARIS-SETE.COm SEE OUR PRODUCTS AT: NORD - AV. INFANTE D. HENRIQUE ARM. B LOJA 6 - 00351 218821045 - WWW.LOJANORD.COM Fosters + Partners, photo by Ed Reeve Photo: Gionata Xerra SOFRAU Av. Marquês Tomar, Nº 52/54 1050-156 Lisboa Telefone 217 958 000 Fax 217 958 270 comercial@sofrau.com Convivium, design Antonio Citterio www.arclinea.com STZ iGuzzini illuminazione - Via Mariano Guzzini 37 - I-62019 Recanati Tel. +39 071 75881 - Fax +39 071 7588295 - iguzzini.com - iguzzini@iguzzini.it Osvaldo Matos - R. Santa Bárbara 27/45 - Coimbrões - 4400-289 V.N. Gaia - Portugal Tel. +351 223 710419 - Fax +351 223 702044 - osvaldomatos.pt - geral@osvaldomatos.pt Groping around in the dark is not exactly the most economical way to save energy. Where light is poor, the quality of life and productive efficiency suffer. To make more rational and profitable use of electricity (and reduce CO2 emissions), it is essential to illuminate better, not less. This is why iGuzzini have developed a whole series of devices that use high efficiency energy sources and optics that can be computer-linked to electric installation control systems. Such devices open the way to more intelligent energy usage. To take an example close to home, the mayor of Recanati recently declared that the town had managed to slash its energy costs by 40% thanks to its new public lighting system. This was engineered by the lighting designer proposed by iGuzzini, sponsors of the project. Similar statements could be made by the mayors of New York, Paris, London, Melbourne or Shanghai, cities where iGuzzini habitually illuminates buildings and public byways. iguzzini.com, iGuzzini illuminazione spa, Italy. Better Light for a Better Life. A chair grown for living. The new Vegetal is here. Vegetal is a new chair planted by Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec and grown by Vitra. A chair that comes in 6 colours. A chair that will blossom naturally in any living space indoors and out. No watering required. Only at authorised Vitra dealers: www.vitra.com ARMANDO TESTA Cassiopea. Design: Lievore - Altherr - Molina. 9 modules, 90 colors, infinite combinations. Milano, Roma, Napoli, Paris, London, Istanbul, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, New York, Miami, Washington DC, Tokyo, Singapore, Manila, Seoul, Taipei. www.poltronafrau.it Alessandra, Matilde and Emma Ferri. New York, September 2008. www.maserati.com MASERATI QUATTROPORTE. feito à medida da sua condução. a referência em potência e elegância. A procura constante pelos padrões tecnológicos mais elevados, levam o Quattroporte a um novo nível de excelência: motores V8 de 4.2 com 400 cv e 4.7 com 430 cv, inovações tecnológicas e estéticas aplicadas aos detalhes mais subtis, conforto total e fiabilidade. A elegância deste automóvel de eleição e o design distintivo Pininfarina, fazem do novo Maserati a expressão máxima da arte que só a tradição da marca do Tridente consegue atingir. CONSUMO COMBINADO: 14,7 L/100 KM (4.2) - 15,7 L/100 KM (4.7) EMISSÕES CO2: 345 G/KM (4.2) - 365 G/KM (4.7) Estoril: Av. da República - Edifício Santogal, 2645-143 ALCABIDECHE - Tel.: 21 043 07 40 • PORTO: Rua da Boavista, 868, 4050-106 PORTO - Tel.: 22 600 46 27 *www.maseratiawards.com Sophie Marceau L I S BOA Ourivesaria Portugal • David Rosas • Machado Joalheiro • Rubiouro Joalheiro • P ORTO Machado Joalheiro FARO Paulo Miranda Joalheiro • C OIM BRA Góis Joalheiro • FUNCHAL David Rosas P a ra m a is in f orm a ç õe s: +351 21 322 41 30 omoura@omoura.pt www.chaumet.com Class One contents 26 27 28 32 Credits ∕ On Promontorio ∕ Editorial ∕ News ∕ Artist Collaborations 36∕ Quinta da Marinha Golf Resort Residences 42∕ Cascais Marina 50∕ Hotel da Luz 56∕ Ges Hotel & Tower 60∕ Tivoli Cape Verde Hotel & Business Centre 64∕ The Lake Resort Hotel & Spa 70∕ Hoi An Beach Resort & Spa 76∕ Troia Design Hotel 82∕ Finisterra Apartments 94∕ Aldeia de Santiago 100∕ The Terraces at The Sheraton Pine Cliffs Algarve 108∕ Alcacer Art & Golf Resort 114∕ Alcacer Vines 120∕ Dreamwave 128∕ Bubble Casino 132∕ Evora Resort 136∕ Palmares Golf Townhouses 140∕ Britannia Hotel 144∕ Inspira Santa Martha Hotel 152∕ Tivoli Jardim City Centre Hotel 158∕ Vincci Lisboa Hotel 162∕ The Westin Lisboa Hotel & Residences 168∕ Algeria’s Falaises d’Oran 172∕ Luanda Star Towers & Residences 178∕ Villas de Benfica, Luanda 182∕ L’And Vineyards 186∕ Inspira Flores Hotel 198∕ Vilalara Resort 204∕ Benagil Retreat 210∕ Tivoli Victoria Hotel, Conference Centre & Elements Spa by Banyan Tree 214∕ Arles Golf Resort 224∕ Melia Bahia Hotel Resort, Brazil 228∕ Portimão Riverfront Revival 234∕ Parque NorteSul Hotel & Residences 240∕ Pinhal de Alcacer 244∕ Budget Hotel 248∕ Qatar Downtown Shopping Resort 252∕ Afterword 256∕ 25 credits partners Tourism & Hospitality Paulo Martins Barata M.Arch mba PhD pmb@promontorio.net +351 937 134 915 Interior Design João Perloiro, M.Arch jjp@promontorio.net +351 939 443 659 Housing, Offices & Mixed-use João Luis Ferreira M.Arch Jlf@promontorio.net +351 939 443 765 Retail Design Paulo Perloiro M.Arch pgp@promontorio.net +351 932 271 073 Museums, Aquariums & Design Sustainability Pedro Appleton M.Arch pma@promontorio.net +351 939 443 950 Communications & External Relations Ana Goncalves M.Arch ana@promontorio.net +351 918 687 327 promontorio tourismTM is a branch of promontorio architectsTM in the field of tourism. This publication is annually printed on paper and published online. You may obtain it by contacting us and request a copy, or freely download it in pdf format at www.promontoriotourism.net promontorio architects www.promontorio.net www.promontoriotourism.net www.promontorioretail.net R. Fabrica Material de Guerra, 10 1950-128 Lisboa portugal Telephone +351 218 620 970 Facsimile +351 218 620 971 Email info@promontorio.net Copyrights © promontorio for all texts © promontorio for the photographs shared with Fernando Guerra/fg+sg and Nuno Ribeiro (Arte Fotográfica) © Inspira/ Luís Ferreira Alves for the photographs of Rua das Flores © promontorio for all renderings shared with 4+Arq Graphic Design R2 Design (www.r2design.pt) Technical Coordination Pedro Grandão M.Arch Joana Wanderley M.Arch Translations & Editing David Sampson Cover Illustration João Fazenda (www.joaofazenda.com) Afterword Illustration Yolanda Candeias Paper Cover: Creator Silk 200 grs/m2 Interior: Synar Matt 115 grs/m2, Munken Pure 120 grs/m2, Cromatic–ca (Tracing Paper) 90 grs/m2 To contact us dial +351 218 620 970. You may also call directly to the mobile of Paulo Martins Barata +351 937 134 915, All paper used in the production of this or email to pmb@promontorio.net publication comes from well-managed sources. Typefaces Akkurat mono, Lineto Leitura, DSType Foundry Outbox, Paul Vanderland Seravek, Process Type Foundry Print Run June 2009: 1st Edition of 1.500 copies Printer Norprint (www.norprint.pt) 26 promontorio tourism TM, promontorio retail TM and promontorio interior design TM are all registered trademarks of promontorio architects TM. This work is subject to copyright. All rights are reserved, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned, specifically the rights of the texts, the translations, reprinting, re-use of illustrations, reproduction on microfilm, or in other media, and storage in databanks. For any kind of use, permission of the copyright owner must be obtained. Credits We are grateful for the images and credits supplied by the following individuals and companies: The Champalimaud Group (Quinta da Marinha), José de Almeida Araújo, James Edward Risso-Gill, Inspira SGPS (Inspira Hotels), Luís Alves de Sousa (Britannia Hotel), Pedro Baumberg Garcia (Marcascais), Paulo Tormenta Pinto (ISCTE), Miguel Rugeroni (Espírito Santo Tourism) and Nuno Ribeiro (Arte Fotográfica). All photographs are by FG+SG (Fernando Guerra), and all site photographs of Alcácer, Arles, Cape Verde, Cascais, Évora, Guarajuba, Lisbon, Montemor, Oran, Pine Cliffs and Vietnam are by and from and PROMONTORIO ARCHITECTS. Exception are site photographs supplied by IFA Hotels & Resorts (UIP), aerial photographs of Alcácer, Cascais, Portimão, Victoria and Tróia by Nuno Ribeiro (Arte Fotográfica), historical images of Quinta da Marinha from the Champalimaud Archive, aerial photographs of Benagil supplied by the Inland Group, Tivoli Victoria Hotel photograph in the news section by Alma Mollemans (Tivoli Hotels & Resorts) and the Cascais 3rd Trophy image from the Marcascais Archive. Finally, we are also grateful to 4+Arq (Filipe Santana and Ricardo Antunes) for their relentless effort in producing high-quality 3D renderings on behalf of PROMONTORIO. isbn 978-989-96255-0-1 depósito legal 294777/09 on promontorio Promontorio Architects Master Planning ∕ Architecture ∕ Landscaping ∕ Interior Design ∕ Product Design ∕ Graphics PROMONTORIO is a full-service design firm that began 20 years ago in Lisbon as an experimental studio, and grew into a practice of sixty architects, urban planners, landscape architects, interior, product and graphic designers. From the beginning we have worked together in a cohesive manner to deal with large and complex urban projects so as to be able provide both their design and programme. PROMONTORIO has designed a range of buildings from schools, museums and cultural institutions, to housing, offices, hotels and retail, and it has worked on projects in Algeria, Angola, Brazil, Bulgaria, Cape Verde, Dubai, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Georgia, Mozambique, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Serbia, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey and Vietnam. The firm’s work has been widely published in architectural and other magazines such a10, Area, Architectural Review, Architecti, Arqa, Arquitectura Viva, a+t, Detail, 2g, Domus, Expresso, Prototypo, Público, ja, Lotus, Techniques & Architecture and The Plan. Our work has received numerous international awards and has been presented in conferences and lectures in Austria, Brazil, Finland, France, Germany, Holland, Italy, Portugal, uk and the usa. It was exhibited, among others, in the 9th Venice Architecture Biennial, in La Triennale di Milano, in Arc en Rêve (Bordeaux), in Cornell University (Ithaca), and more recently in Aedes Gallery (Berlin). The articles published here relate exclusively to hospitality projects. We have been engaged in Tourism Design for over a decade as the result of a strategic decision that little by little led to us consistently being one of the leading designers in the field. In truth, we never aimed to be big. We see ourselves as small, as far as architecture firms go, but substantial, as niche designers. We see ourselves as reliable innovators. And as the breadth of work described in this publication demonstrates, the compass of opportunities that hospitality offers to planners, architects and designers as a creative field is second to none. From resort master planning and landscaping to the design of the buildings themselves, to the interior design concepts and to the smallest scale of details involving custom design furniture and fittings, it is truly a world of possibilities. 27 editorial In Praise of Authenticity The days of tourism as a naïve and tentative business are long gone. The past two decades have seen unlimited economic growth, particularly in the tourism and hotel industry. New destinations have been created overnight in orchestrated allegiances between carriers, tour operators, hotel chains and property developers. Truth be told, many things have been done without due care and attention, not only to environmental resources, but also from a design perspective. All things considered, if one looks overall at the real consequences of world Disneyfication, its most dubious contribution is perhaps the introduction of thematic design in architecture. • Morris Lapidus, Fontainebleau Hotel, Miami Beach, 1954 28 • Porte-cochère of the hotel • Ricardo Legorreta, The Blue Lounge at Camino Real • Gio Ponti, Parco dei Principi Hotel, Amalfi coast, 1962 Hotel, Mexico City, 1968 Until the 1970s, architecture was a theme of its own (even for Disney). One is reminded of Morris Lapidus and his legendary Fontainebleau hotel in Miami Beach, of 1954, or of Ricardo Legorreta’s Camino Real and its charismatic Blue Lounge, built outside of Mexico City, in 1968, or of the exquisite furnishings at the Parco dei Principi hotel on the Amalfi coast, designed by the Milanese master Gio Ponti in 1962, or of the supreme elegance of the Copenhagen Radisson sas of Arne Jacobsen of 1958, and last but not least of Marcel Breuer’s Flaine, the audacious ski resort of 1961, built on the slopes of Mont Blanc. These were great tourist icons simply because architecturally they were splendid and elegant. Suddenly at the beginning of the 1980s the world became Disney, and we entered the brave new world of faux-urbanity. From then on hoteliers took it for granted that a hotel in Thailand would look like a pagoda, a resort in Mexico would fake a hacienda, and a hotel in Portugal would replicate a fisherman’s village. The exuberance of architecture in itself was no longer sufficient. Hotel and resort design needed to “blend in” with • Arne Jacobsen, Radisson sas Hotel, Copenhagen, 1958 local culture; a bogus brew that yielded the construction of a pastiche world, identified today by educated travellers as false or artificial. Now, after twenty years of thematic design and cultural debasement, we have been trying to bring back architecture as a theme in its own right. It is not easy; in an industry that tends to be rather conservative, it requires perseverance from designers and enlightenment from developers. Bottom line: Can architecture per se regain power in the tourism industry? We honestly believe it can. There is a growing market for design-oriented lifestyles in the middle and upper-middle classes. Tourism has increasingly become a fashion driven statement and by now there are already some extremely successful examples of the so-called design hotels, let alone those over-designed. Yet, unlike what ikea represents for home furnishings, there is still a long way to go before design hotels reach the mass market, if ever. The fact remains that cultural authenticity and architectural integrity have always been at the foundation of everything remarkable and long lasting in the tourism industry. 29 editorial • Marcel Breuer, Flaine Ski Resort, Mont Blanc, 1961 • Life Magazine cover featuring the Ritz Hotel, in Lisbon, 1962 Creating “architecture with a sense of place” seems like just another catchphrase from a marketing brochure, and in most cases it is, but in reality, consistent designers and discerning developers are well aware what this means. Design excellence fosters the emergence of cultural identity and place-making. This is just as true for renowned historical locations, as for the creation of new tourism destinations. We can create places anew; we can find inspiration in local culture and we can reinvent ideas and forms from local craft, buildings and climate. We can draw on and develop from already fascinating traditions, but we must never fall into the trap of designing caricatures of this heritage. When it comes to authenticity, much the same can be said about the role that architecture can (and should) play in the sustainability of tourism. In terms of environmental economics, the only way forward for the industry is smart growth in the management of energy, transportation, waste and water. By and large, global climate change results from the lifestyles of post-industrial capitalist culture. And it is a given fact that consumption must be reduced drastically if we are to stop, let alone reverse, climate change. Under the Kyoto Protocol and the emissions trading agreements, governments can only maintain tourism growth if they can lower the ecological footprint, and at the same time raise total income relative to material and energy throughput. Habits of conservation and recycling must help to develop tourism segments where consumption is less intense. When it comes to buildings, the panacea is not to be found in retrofitting architecture with some high technology. Rather, we need to incorporate simple but effective ideas in our design strategies: like reusing and recycling materials in routine hotel renovations; like maximizing durability by detailing weathering solutions; or simply by devising straight forward maintenance systems that do not require dedicated specialists. As Wilfried Wang noted, climate change is not caused by financial or technological factors alone and so it follows that neither money nor technology alone will yield the solution. We need to reduce not only the ecological, but also the cultural footprint of buildings. By the former, we mean to say that the aesthetic life expectancy of architecture 30 • Disneyland resort flyer, 1950s • Hilton Hawaiian Village (vintage postcard), Waikiki, 1960s should be as long as its material life expectancy. In fact, buildings last much longer than fashion statements; they cross lives and impact generations. Architecture for tourism need not relinquish the spectacular foreground that has been its prerogative across the 20th-century, but it does have to maintain dignity as part of a vibrant culture. Ultimately, as designers, our task is to create places that withstand the test of time: places that resist the brutal obsolescence that seems prematurely to condemn everything that aspires to serenity and calm. The architect, Le Corbusier said, must not look for the truth in extremes. Rather, he must constantly struggle to maintain balance. “Nobody asked him to do this. Nobody owes him any thanks. He lives in the extraordinary world of the acrobat”. Following Le Corbusier’s metaphor and the choice between going with the flow of the market or cultivating a self-conscious resistance, we would do well, would we not, to ensure that we maintain this magnificent but delicate equilibrium? Paulo Martins Barata pmb@promontorio.net 31 news Saigon’s jewel: The Metropolis Project With almost 500,000 sq.m of gross built area, the Metropolis Project will be the largest mixed-use complex of Ho Chi Minh (the city formerly known as Saigon), in Vietnam. promontorio has been selected as the leading designer by bta Corporation in collaboration with the Vietnamese architects htt, based on a previous master plan by Arata Isozaki. Located on the Thao Dien district, between the river and the northbound highway, the project comprises the largest shopping centre of Saigon, crowned by twin 40-storey office towers, in addition to 1,000 apartment units, including a serviced luxury condominium. www.btadi.com 32 news Victoria’s Grand Opening: A Golfers Dream Come True The Tivoli Victoria is scheduled for Grand Opening on June 19. As the first hotel entirely built and planned by Espirito Santo Tourism, this golf haven marks the keystone of the group’s future developments in the tourism industry. www.tivolihotels.com/hoteis-portugal/destino/algarve/tivoli-victoria-09/lista.aspx Meet the public: Troia Design Hotel to open this summer After the Vilalara and the Lake Resort, Blue and Green’s third unit, the much anticipated Design Hotel in the idyllic Troia peninsula finally meet the public with the Grand Opening scheduled for the 5th of July. www.blueandgreen.com/hot_troia.php 34 Appointment to design extension to Belgrade’s Hotel Jugoslavija Located on the riverfront facing the Danube, and listed as a National Heritage, the grand modernist Hotel Jugoslavija is probably the most celebrated hotel in Serbia and certainly an icon of its capital. It opened in 1969 and hosted a list of celebrities and high officials that included, among others, Nixon, Carter, Queen Elizabeth II and Tina Turner, until it was damaged by bombing and eventually closed. As part of a wider masterplan that includes shopping centre and offices as well as a Kempinski hotel unit, Greek developer Kratis, appointed promontorio as architects for the renovation and extension of this facility in collaboration with local architects and planners Goran Vojvodic and Mašino Projekt. A sea of green: Vilamoura’s newest hotel and golf apartments Torre Pepa: A lighthouse for the Spanish port city of Cádiz promontorio has been short-listed for a competition held by Lusort for Vilamoura’s newest golf destination. Located between the Old Course and The Victoria, two of the finest pga courses in the Algarve, this facility provides a 5-star hotel & spa with 140 bedrooms and suites, in addition to 180 full-service golf apartments. In a joint venture between the municipality of Cádiz, the city’s port authority and leading retail developer Redevco, promontorio has been invited to submit a proposal for a mixed-use development to include a 20-storey hotel tower that functions as a beacon for the entrance gate of the island city. “Torre Pepa” is what the charismatic Cádiz Mayor Teófila Martínez has always wanted, and it is right on time for the celebration of the bicentenary of the publication of Spain’s celebrated radical constitution. Better known as “Pepa”, it took place in Cádiz, in 1812, and marked the end of the war against Napoleon’s occupation and a major step towards liberalism and democracy in Spain. www.lusort.com www.redevco.com / www.zonafrancacadiz.com / www.cadizspain.net Gabriela Albergaria appointed artist for Parque NorteSul: Accor’s etap and ibis new super-units for Lisbon Scheduled to begin construction in 2009, the Parque NorteSul project of the Accor/ Chamartín partnership comprises etap and ibis units respectively with 400 and 500 rooms. In addition, Chamartín will develop 250 apartment units under the Studio Residence brand. Given the high visibility of this complex from the Lisbon ring road (Segunda Circular), promontorio devised a façade system that will incorporate a public art project by the renowned Portuguese artist Gabriella Albergaria. Given the harshness on the surroundings, Albergaria has proposed drawing a forest pattern silk-screened onto the façade’s precast concrete panels. In addition, the different colour of pigments on the panels will serve to identify each building and its function. www.gabrielaalbergaria.com A Room with a View: The Tivoli / Banyan Tree partnership strikes again The renovation and 5-star upgrade of the Tivoli Carvoeiro was part of a wider strategic repositioning of the hotel brand of the Espírito Santo Group. Located right on the seafront of Algarve’s unique coast, it was the subject of short-list competition to which promontorio was invited. The proposal included the renovation of all 270 bedrooms, suites and public areas including the introduction of an Angsana Spa by Banyan Tree. www.tivolihotels.com/hoteis-portugal/destino/algarve/hotel-carvoeiro/lista.aspx artist collaborations Pedro Calapez, the artist’s studio, in Lisbon (photo by the artist) Working with Artists 36 We have always considered art inseparable from architecture and particularly from hotels and tourism. That is why promontorio has always worked together with contemporary artists in the widest possible range of commissions and collaborations. In fact we are such art enthusiasts that between 1995 and 2003 we ran a non-profit gallery in our studio. An early example of these collaborations was a wall-mounted neon installation by Pedro Portugal made for the 1990 National Book Fair Pavilion of the Ministry of Culture, in Lisbon, and another is the recently opened Tivoli Victoria which incorporates site-specific precast concrete bas-relief panels by Pedro Calapez on the facades. Other projects have involved artists such as Gabriela Albergaria, Pedro Falcão, Gonçalo Barreiros, Ricardo Valentim, Mariana Viegas, João Louro, Inez Teixeira, Nuno Cera, Daniel Blaufuks and Pedro Portugal. 37 • Pedro Calapez, Mod 02, 2007 • Gabriela Albergaria, Blenheim and 29th, Installation with a dead Oak, Vancouver Artgallery, 2008 • João Louro, Rimbaud’s Spell, Collection of Serralves Foundation, Oporto, 2005 • Pedro Portugal, Dead Poets, National Book Fair Pavilion, Lisbon, 1990 • Nuno Ribeiro, The Lake Hotel, Vilamoura, 2006 • Inez Teixeira, Promontorio Gallery, Lisbon, 2001 38 • Gonçalo Barreiros, Salesman, Vera Cortês Art Agency, Lisbon, 2007 • Pedro Falcão, Vista Le Corbusier 1, Promontorio Gallery, Lisbon, 2002 • Ricardo Valentim, Start Series (I Can Be A Community Service Worker, 1974; Faces of Man: Germany, 1980; North America: The Continent, 1965), 2007 • Hugo Canoilas, Untitled, The Lake Hotel, Vilamoura, 2006 • Mariana Viegas, 5 Sequences on light boxes, Tivoli Victoria Hotel, 2009 • Nuno Cera, Unité d’habitation #5, 2008 39 • Illustration by João Fazenda, 2009 Buildings Projects & Concepts by Promontorio Architects 41 • Archive photo of horse race at Marinha Quinta da Marinha in Full Swing Designer villas for Lisbon’s leading golf resort 42 • Ground floor plan 43 • Quinta da Marinha 44 During the 2nd World War, to benefit from Portuguese neutrality, exiled European royalty and aristocracy began settling in Estoril. Back then Cascais, which lies next door, was little more than a fishermen’s village with a wild and uninhabited coastline of cliffs and golden beaches, stretching up to Cabo da Roca, Continental Europe’s most westerly point. When in the early 1920s the wealthy army doctor Carlos Champalimaud bought Quinta da Marinha, he already envisioned the creation of a residential estate of exceptional quality. Ninety years later, Quinta da Marinha is one of the most affluent addresses in the Estoril-Cascais area. Just 30 minutes from Lisbon city and airport, the estate is a comprehensive and mature resort of some 400 hectares, including a 5-star hotel (and 6-star under construction), luxury villas and condominiums, a health & racket club and a famous equestrian centre among other amenities and services. 45 • View towards the golf course • View from the golf course 46 Crowning the resort, there are two exceptional 18-hole golf courses: Quinta da Marinha course designed by the legendary Robert Trent Jones, Sr (5,870m, par 71) and the Oitavos Dunes course by Arthur Hills (6,303m, par 71). Both enjoy breathtaking views of the Atlantic ocean and the Sintra mountains across the magnificent stone pine forest (Pinus pinea Linnaeus). Overlooking Trent Jones’ 6th-hole, the Quinta da Marinha Golf Residences is one the very last sizeable plots available for development. The 50 serviced-units (40 apartments and 10 villas) which make up the complex were specifically designed to embrace with care the mature pine trees. Inspired by the contrast between the steep monumental cliffs of the coast line and the ocean’s deep blue mass as geological metaphor of the site, the small apartment buildings can be seen as raw blocks of marble carved out of a quarry. The voids or negatives that remain are filled with water (private individual pools) or invaded by luxurious landscaping (verandas or private gardens). 47 Rooftop swimming pools types • 2−bdr • 3−bdr • 4−bdr Villas • 3−bdr villas Quinta da Marinha Golf Resort Residences Location Quinta da Marinha (Cascais), Portugal Operator Howard Holdings (Portugal), sa Programme 5-star serviced villas and apartments Gross built area 9,500 sq. m Project 2008 – (scheduled for opening in 2011) 48 Living room Master suite Bathroom and balcony • Marina and bay of Cascais Bring back the buzz Building on Cascais’ sailing tradition • hrh King Juan Carlos, 3 rd trophy held in Cascais, in August of 1998 50 • Presentation model Located on the coastline halfway between the Cape of Roca and the entry to the Port of Lisbon (38º42’N and 09º25’W), the bay area surrounding the Cascais Marina is regarded by experienced sailors as one of the world’s finest stretches of water. In the recent past it hosted major races like the isaf Sailing World Championship 2007, the 49th European Championship, or hrh King Juan Carlos I’s Trophy. These competitions have brought together leading ocean sailors, like Russell Cutts from New Zealand, the Australian Peter 52 Gilmour, Jesper Radich of Denmark, Geoffrey Meek of South Africa, Bertrand Pacé of France and Peter Holmberg of the Team Alinghi, as well as sports enthusiasts and crowned heads of Europe such as Juan Carlos of Spain, Constantine of Greece and Harold of Norway. Despite this glorious and inspiring past, the current marina — completed in 1999 with 650 berths and a dry dock with a 70-tonne gantry crane — is the outcome of an ill-fated design/ build/finance competition that resulted in the insolvency of the developer a few years later, and ultimately in the rescue by the current owner, the Al-Baker Group (Marcascais sa). The marina is located in one of the most affluent and high-income areas of Portugal. With a sailing tradition second to none in Iberia, its current economic decline can only be explained by a series of administrative and municipal misfortunes, as well as by the planning and design shortcomings of the existing complex. 53 Waterfront promenade Terrace pool Commercial inner court 54 Commercial inner court Marcascais sa, the current long-term leaseholder of the Cascais marina, invited promontorio to develop an integrated masterplan to revitalize the whole site, including its relationship with the adjacent 17th century military fortress, now to become a multi-media centre. Making a tabula rasa of the existing buildings, the project comprises an underground car park, landscaping and repaving of the public areas, new retail and apartment buildings, and a hotel tower and conference centre at the edge of the marina. The retail and apartment buildings, located on the central platform and surrounded by berths, form a large three-storey perimeter block, accompanied by ground floor shopping, out of which emerge small and jagged passageways, with narrow streets and alleys leading to an informal main square sheltered from the seasonal harshness of the Atlantic wind. On the upper level, the serviced apartments have a unique and exclusive infinity pool overlooking the Atlantic. This concentration of shopping, dining and luxury accommodation will hopefully stir up the lifestyle, the buzz and the allure inevitably associated with leading marinas. Cascais Marina Location Cascais Marina, Portugal Operator Marcascais, sa Property Al Baker Group Programme 154 luxury serviced-apartments with 10,000 sq.m of high-end retail at ground level. Gross Built Area 37,500 sq.m Project 2008 – (scheduled for opening in 2012) 55 • View from citadel 56 The Lighthouse A beacon in the bay of Cascais As part of the Cascais Marina masterplan commissioned by the leaseholder, promontorio designed a major hotel anchor. At the end of the marina, in front of the super-yachts’ pier, promontorio proposed an iconic 33-storey luxury hotel tower symbolically spearheading the rebirth of Cascais as a key tourism destination within the Lisbon region. The Hotel of Light, or Lighthouse, evoking the medieval fortress’ name, is positioned at one of the most westerly points of Europe, evocatively confronting Manhattan across the Atlantic, and aims to create the critical mass, dynamics and lifestyle that make marinas around the world exciting and glamorous destinations. 57 • Presentation model 58 Conceptually, and as a metaphor of the site, the building’s winding profile is mathematically generated from an elliptical plan, rotating on a structural compact core where the elevators, stairs and shafts are located. The project will meet the highest environmental standards of design sustainability, namely leed (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), an evaluation that takes into account not just the structure itself but its environmental sustainability throughout its entire lifespan. The building’s skin, with a triple-layer glass facade and floor-to-ceiling windows, resonates the metaphor of a fish skin while integrating high-performance sun protection and aerogel based glare-free interior lighting. In addition, the facade’s panels in bipv systems (Building Integrated PhotoVoltaics) will produce a substantial amount of the energy consumed in the hotel. Hotel da Luz Location Bay of Cascais, Portugal Operator Marcascais, sa Programme 5-star all-suites 240-bdr hotel, 600-seater conference centre, restaurant and spa Gross Built Area 25,250 sq. m Project 2007 – (under municipal discussion) 59 • View from the bay of Cidade da Praia t o w e r p o w e r The hidden solidity behind the precarious balance of Cape Verde’s icon 60 The Republic of Cape Verde is a 10-island archipelago located in the Macaronesia eco-region of the North Atlantic Ocean, off the western coast of Africa. The previously uninhabited islands were discovered and colonized by the Portuguese in the 15th century and attained independence in 1975. Cape Verde is a small nation that lacks resources but is a peaceful and human rights abiding country, which has in consequence received considerable trust and support from countries and international organizations, including the un, the wto, the eu and the usa. Notwithstanding its lack of rain and droughts, Cape Verde has experienced a spectacular growth in tourism investment in the past decade. 61 Following the opening of the Cape Verde subsidiary of the Espírito Santo Bank, the holding company considered opening a hotel and convention centre through its tourism division. Standing next to the presidential palace (and former Portuguese governor’s residence), the 20-storey tower is designed as a light beacon across the Praia harbour. Gracefully located below and detached from the base to the soon-to-be-listed unesco World Heritage Site of the “Plateau”, at first glance the tower can be seen as a series of volumes on the verge of collapse, but at closer range the concrete central core gives evidence of its solidity. The former 18th century Portuguese army fortress of Cidade da Praia standing on the plot’s hilltop is to be renovated and converted into a restaurant, business centre and foyer of the hotel. In addition, the masterplan provides for the new head office of the Espírito Santo Bank in Cape Verde. • • Study model 62 • Extruded floor plans GES Hotel & Tower Location Cidade da Praia (Santiago Island), Cape Verde Developer Espírito Santo Group Operator Tivoli Hotels / Espírito Santo Tourism (Europe) Programme 120-bdr 5-star hotel tower 250-seater conference centre and spa Gross Floor Area 12,000 sq. m Estimated Investment eur 12m Project 2005 63 Hold the a new citadel for the ´ old fortress of cape verde 64 ding Fort • Map of Africa, 1660 65 • Presentation model • City market Given the shortage and cost of skilled labour in Cape Verde an entirely new approach to the former hotel tower on the same site produced a revised scheme in response to the need for a construction system that would include as much prefabrication as possible. In addition to a spa, the hotel programme was increased to 150-bdr with a focus on the • Plateau 66 • Beach near Cidade Velha • Bay of Cidade da Praia • Bay of Cidade da Velha 4-star business and conference segment. The main entrance and public areas were placed on the ridge of the Plateau, right next to the Presidential Palace and the scheme included the renovation of the former 18th century army fortress of Cidade da Praia. The bedrooms and suites are now located at the base of the cliff, slightly above sea level. Like a loose Lego stack, the prefabricated bedrooms are positioned in a jagged configuration that evokes the shape of the cliff. The space between the cliff’s wall and the organic inner elevation of the bedrooms is conceived as a botanic garden, irrigated with desalinated water from the adjoining coast. 67 • Marine core motto • Fortress from below 68 • Fortress courtyard • Fortress garrison Tivoli Cape Verde Hotel & Business Centre Location Cidade da Praia (Santiago Island), Cape Verde Developer Espírito Santo Group Operator Tivoli Hotels / Espírito Santo Tourism (Europe) Programme 150-bdr 4-star hotel and conference centre Gross Floor Area 12,000 sq.m Estimated Investment eur 12m Project 2005 (preliminary study) • Presentation model 69 • Main lobby Traveller’s Choice An interior design concept with a window onto cultures from 5 continents 70 Opened in 2005, the 5-star Lake Resort Hotel & Spa is situated facing South at the mouth of the Vilamoura Marina in the Algarve. promontorio was invited to create an Interior Design concept, given that the exterior design had already been defined by watg, in a sort of neo-Mediterranean vernacular style. Virtually bordering the Falésia beach, the Resort is surrounded by a large and luxurious landscaped area which includes a lake forming part of the National Wildlife Ecological Reserve and leading back into Portugal’s largest Marina. Bordering this lake, there are three large outdoor pools; one heated, and one designed as an alternative beach complete with a sand-covered bottom. The outdoor facilities also include a floating restaurant, a large garden, a multi-purpose court and an open-air event area. The Interior design concept is based on the idea of “The Traveller” as an umbrella-theme and as an open window into other cultures, particularly those which have been part of Portugal’s history. At the same time it encourages us to appreciate world diversity. While the 14-metre dome-lobby is conceived as a sober neoclassical space echoing the spirit of the pre-ww2 grand-hotels, the rest of the spaces are broken down in a rich architectural mosaic of materials, colours and textures reflecting different sub-themes: from the Fusion to Mediterranean cuisine restaurants and bars, to the Jaipur Indian foyer tearoom. The bedrooms reflect the same philosophy as the hotel, — simplicity combined with luxury — with the bathrooms as harmonious extensions of the bedrooms, separated only by oak sliding doors. 71 Finally, The Spa is in line with the Traveller’s original concept in that it aims “to find a perfect balance through Five Continents and Five Senses”. The main segment is the “Blue Spa” which acts as reception and has generous heated jet pools, and five individual treatment rooms mainly for hydrotherapy. The exclusive “Green Spa” has five additional rooms to provide dedicated forms of body treatment, with special guest rooms specifically devoted to Spa clients, thus making it both convenient and private. Exterior Main lobby dome Fusion restaurant Tea house 72 Main lobby 73 Lobby bar Sushi bar Chill-out area Spa 74 Mediterranean restaurant Spa indoor pool The Lake Resort Hotel & spa Location Vilamoura (Algarve), Portugal Developer Blue & Green Hotels (Amorim Turismo, sgps) Programme Interior Design for 192-bdr (w/ 9 suites) luxury beach hotel and spa resort, with 300-seat conference and business centre, and 92 serviced apartments Gross Floor Area 24,000 sq.m (hotel) plus 18,000 sq.m (serviced apartments) Art Project Hugo Canoilas, Gabriela Albergaria, Nuno Ribeiro Investment eur 30m Project 1996 − (open to public in 2005) Awards Best Property, Mipim Awards 2006 75 • Main entrance of villa 76 China Beach A sustainable resort in Vietnam’s surfers paradise The Hoi An Resort & Spa is located 45 minutes south of Da Nang, the third largest and fastest growing city in Vietnam, which is fast becoming one of the dominant tourism regions of Southeast Asia. It rivals neighbouring areas like Bali and Phuket, and leading hospitality operators such as Hilton, Raffles, gmc and Intercontinental are moving in. Da Nang’s international airport has direct flights to Hanoi, Saigon, Bangkok, Moscow and Singapore. 77 • Skyline from the beach • China beach • Marble Mountain 78 • Hoi An street • Hoi An shops Vietnam’s best known stretch of sand, the famous “China Beach”, named during the war by the thousands of American g.i.s who surfed away their leave at this beach base, is an idyllic stretch of sand that runs uninterrupted along the coast from Da Nang to the historic old town of Hoi An. The drive from Da Nang airport to Hoi An, with the morning mist hanging over the shallow water in the rice fields and with the Marble Mountain as a backdrop, is a picture postcard setting. • Roof tiles • Stilt house on De Vong river Hoi An is a listed unesco World Heritage Site. The town is an exceptionally well-preserved example of a Southeast Asian trading port dating from the 15th to 19th centuries. Its charming buildings and its street plan reflect both indigenous and foreign influences. It has a compact urban landscape of brightly hued two-storey shop houses with terracotta tile roofs. This amazing beachfront property is located at the gateway of Hoi An, forming a quasi-peninsula and at the back overlooking the De Vong river. • The market at Hoi An 79 • View from inner road 80 • Party propaganda • Rice fields on De Vong river • Party issued social housing • Hoi An river promenade • My Son temple invaded by forest • My Son temple • Terracotta temple • Promenade bridge promontorio was invited to develop a Master Plan concept for a fully sustainable resort. The brief stipulates that the ecological system be preserved, as well as the equilibrium of the fragile cultural fabric, and that disruptive changes in the social structure of the town, in its local commerce, its lifestyle, its routines, its crafts and means of subsistence, should also be avoided. The architectural concept draws the nearby Hindu sanctuary of My Son ~ Sσn), another unesco World (My Heritage Site in the region: an impressive ensemble of temples dedicated to the Indian deities of Linga and Shiva from the extinct Viet Nam Champa dynasty dating from the 4th to the 12th centuries, many of which were seriously damaged by bombing in 1969. Standing along a deep and mysterious valley, these totem-like structures stand out as elaborate sculptures in striking red terracotta brickwork. This suggestive presence is echoed in the design of the resort both in terms of scale, material and texture. On the beach there rises a series of slim and long volumes that feature double-height living rooms, cross-ventilated patios and mezzanine master-bedrooms. Hoi An Beach Resort & Spa Location Da Nang region, Vietnam Developer bta Development Investments, Vietnam Plot size 120 ha Project 2008 - (2012) • Ancient indian deity • Terracotta brickwork detail 81 • Troia peninsula Gateway to the Dunes Mixed-use complex on the tip of the Atlantic 82 Tróia is a unique and delightful peninsula located 50 Km South of Lisbon, between the mouth of the Sado River and the Atlantic Ocean, and across the river from the fishing and port city of Setúbal. This fragile landscape and exceptional dune habitat was the setting for a large-scale tourism project at a time when new destinations like Acapulco, Las Palmas and Miami were being developed. Construction of the Troia Resort, formerly known as Torralta, began in the early 1970s and was abruptly halted in the aftermath of the 1974 revolution. Following the Zeitgeist, this vast tourism project aspired to become a true city of leisure, with facilities such as a marina, golf course, hippodrome, museum, gymnasiums, shopping mall, movie theatres and restaurants, besides apartments, hotels and condominiums. 83 diagram of functions New wing Hotel Conference centre Theatre Casino Rooftop deck Lounge Pool bar Health club Interior pool Kids club Kids pool Service docks Hotel atrium Theatre New wing Lounge Pool bar Health club Interior pool Kids club Main entrance Technical box Conference centre Infinity pool Passage from hotel to casino Casino 84 Theatre Hotel Casino canopy Theatre main entrance B&G restaurant Hotel entrance Conference canopy New Wing NYX lounge bar Terrace Spa Lounge bar Salinas brasserie Main square Parking exit Conference Centre Parking entrance Secondary entrance to conference centre 85 • Ground floor plan • Section thru theatre and atrium 86 Study model built version Studys models Studys models 87 • View from the marina 88 The resort was located on the northern tip of the peninsula, and all that remained, besides a number of scattered facilities, was the unfinished concrete shell of a 14-storey atrium hotel, which had been designed by the late Conceição Silva. The new hotel project comprised the complete renovation and extension of this shell.The Design Hotel is the gateway and anchor for the Troia Resort and forms a key part of the € 450m general redevelopment. promontorio was already involved in the resort on behalf of the Sonae Group. The new complex will have more than 70,000 sq.m of space and will include a 5-star hotel, full-service luxury residences, a spa, a conference centre and a theatre with a mechanical stage. The concept was that modern facilities and technology be installed in the existing building but that otherwise it be restored and renovated following the original 1970s design principles. The new buildings particularly the undulating apartment wing facing north, create a decisive contrast in both material and form with the dry and structural bareness of the early building. A Blue & Green destination spa focused on seawater-based thalasso-therapy and a rooftop infinity pool seemingly merging into the vast blue deep of the Atlantic are some of the other features and amenities of this vast hotel complex. In addition to the Hotel building, the Theatre is a facility that will complement the casino. From a technical point of view it resembles a normal theatre, including a mid-size stage, under-stage, prep areas, dressing rooms, catwalk, etc. Moreover, the auditorium and public areas were designed to provide for mixed and simultaneous uses such as concert and banqueting, up to a capacity of 500. At the Eastern end of the complex there is a state-of-the-art Conference Centre with a double-height hall and a capacity of up to 1,000 people. This area can be subdivided into two separate rooms with independent entrances and foyers, and areas of use and formats can be tailored to the requirements of each event. In addition there are 12 multipurpose breakout rooms for up to 100 people with a separate entrance and foyer. All the catering services and technical support are provided through a main vertical shaft at the core of the complex which is not visible to clients. 89 View from hotel main entrance 90 Verandas Verandas and canopy Conference centre canopy Verandas at sunset 91 Bedroom corridors Bedroom with art project by Daniel Blaufuks 14−storey atrium Atrium skylight Troia Design Hotel Location Grândola, Portugal Developer Amorim Turismo, sgps Programme Luxury hotel with serviced apartments, conference centre, theatre and spa Gross Built Area 72,000 sq.m Estimated Investment eur 130m Project 2005 - (open to the public in 2009) 92 Bathroom 14−storey atrium 93 A Ben the • Town of Alcacer do Sal 94 nd in Contemporary design in a historic riverfront setting 95 Set in the historic city of Alcácer do Sal, the finisterra project, which comprises 30 state-of-the-art holiday apartments, is located on the edge of the city’s riverfront boulevard. All the units have a riverfront panorama, which is framed by the rice marshlands, the cork fields and the pine forests on the opposite riverbank. On the south side the trapezoid plot faces the river and to the north the Santa Luzia road leads up to the castle and the core of the medieval district. 96 View from condominium pool View from private rooftop pools 97 Following the dominant shapes of Alcácer’s skyline, the building emphasizes the surrounding streets, dissolving into the overall image of the city. With its good position on the Western edge of the city, the building forms an “L” shape facing south, and a system of undulating cantilevered verandas which serve as an outdoor extension of the apartments shelters its fully glazed sliding curtain from the sun. Apartment interior 98 The raised platform slab, which has parking and storage below, provides not only a raised height from the street level, but also a vantage point so that all the apartments benefit from the riverfront views. The top of this platform also accommodates private gardens for the ground-floor apartments, and a large condominium pool with an infinity-edge facing the river. The third-floor apartments have private use of the rooftops, where there is a landscaped leisure area with small pools, barbeques and sun-bathing/chill-out areas. Finisterra Apartments Location Alcácer do Sal, Portugal Developer 541, Investimentos Imobiliarios, Lda Programme 30 riverfront serviced apartments Built Area 42,000 sq.m Estimated Investment eur 55m Gross Built Area 3,300 sq.m Project 2006 - (to open in 2010) 99 Village Green A traffic free village with a cork forest at its core. The Portuguese word “Aldeia” means a village, and that is to a large extent the main concept behind aldeia de santiago. It is close to the town of Alcácer do Sal, the social, cultural and economic centre of the area which lies 80 km to the south of Lisbon and is the gateway to the Alentejo’s unique coast line. With its riverside cafes and restaurants, its picturesque medieval centre, 100 its narrow streets and historic monuments, Alcácer offers visitors a varied choice of ways to relax and enjoy themselves. The masterplan is rooted in the specific character of the site and its landscape, in that it echoes the likeness of the existing villages that over the years have grown up around the perimeter of the town. • Masterplan • Aerial view 101 • Clusters The Aldeia, with its clustered houses, its meandering streets and its squares, attempts to create the atmosphere of a traditional village whilst still providing an environment where residents and tourists can enjoy modern comforts and amenities. The venerable cork forest at the core of the property is undisturbed and has been carefully preserved, but it is integrated into carefully planned bike and jogging circuits. Architecturally the design is contemporary but draws on the traditions of the region. Car traffic is restricted to the loop service road that surrounds the property while the concierge, housekeeping and other services use electric golf carts. • 1−bdr • Study models at Promontorio’s office • 3−bdr 102 • Study sketches 103 1−bdr unit 2−bdr unit 104 2− and 3−bdr units 4−bdr villa 105 • Aerial view Aldeia de Santiago Location Alcácer do Sal, Portugal Developer Ongoing Group Programme 235 one- and two-storey villas, restaurant, clubhouse, pools and resort facilities Built Area 42,000 sq.m Estimated Investment eur 55m Plot Size 30.6 ha Project 2006 - (open to public in 2012) 106 107 • Site plan Sunrise at the Sheraton Pine Cliffs 20 New villas in a leading Algarve Resort 108 Located in the vicinity of the old fishermen’s village of Olhos de Água, within the municipality of Albufeira, the Pine Cliffs Vacation Club is one of the most exclusive golf and beachfront resorts of the Algarve. Currently under the management of Starwood’s top brand The Luxury Collection, the resort boasts high yearly occupancy rates and RevPar ratios, and property values are also very high. promontorio was commissioned to design 20 freehold units with three- and fourbedrooms for one of the remaining plots in the Pine Cliffs masterplan. Sheltered by a dense pine forest, the units form a twin L-shape amphitheatre towards the convex hilltop of the surrounding area. Close to the entry main road, facing North and away from the beach and the golf course, townhouses were chosen in the masterplan instead of apartments, private space in the plots was maximised by introducing interior patios and roof terraces and the cubic volume of space was increased by creating open isle kitchens and dining areas, and double-height living rooms, although the latter were ultimately discarded to create an additional bedroom. This indoor-outdoor fluidity aims to meet the outdoor lifestyle of a golf and beach resort, with the open • Study model 110 social areas downstairs and the bedrooms upstairs. The interior patio, in the house core, maximizes views across the space and gives natural cross-ventilation. The complex forms a monolithic built mass made of whitewashed plastered masonry walls, broken by a series of walled patios and a polyhedric roof made of custom-made flat white-enamelled tiles. In addition the buildings’ materiality is emphasized by the solid wood frames and panelling. • Construction site 111 View from the pool The Terraces at the Pine Cliffs Sheraton Algarve Location Albufeira (Pine Cliffs Resort), Portugal Developer United Investments (Portugal)/ ifa Hotels & Resorts Brand The Luxury Collection Management Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. Programme 20 units of two and three-bdr luxury townhouses with interior double-height patios and landscaped pools Project 2007 - (open to public in 2009) View from exterior path Living room and patio 112 Private garden Kitchen and patio 113 • Aerial view Golf meets contemporary land art fairways Alcácer do Sal is a small medieval town, 80 km south of Lisbon, located at the gateway to the Alentejo’s unspoiled Sado Wildlife Park. Crowned by an impressive castle whose foundations were laid by the Arabs in the 8th-century, the winding streets and alleys of this charming town cascade down a steep slope on the northern bank of the River Sado. 114 at the gateway to the Alentejo of art 115 Oak forrrest cabins Lake villas Hotel boulevard Lake St. Sunset St. ≤ Alcacer do Sal Club house St. Tennis courts Resort reception Gateway 27 km along a dazzling road by the river and across the natural park, one reaches a unique sea front of 70 km of uninterrupted white sand beach, in what is considered to be the up and coming destination for Portuguese tourism in the future. It is expected that more than eur 3,000 million will be invested here within the next four years, including a variety of brands such as Aman, Park Hyatt, Six Senses and Raffles, and signature golf courses by the likes of Robert Trent Jones, David McLay Kidd, Jack Nicklaus, Donald Steel, Santana da Silva and Cabell Robinson, among other leading designers. 116 The alcacer art & golf resort is located near the town, on the opposite bank of the river. The endless rice fields which line the flat river help create a landscape which recalls at times the Southeast Asian serenity of Vietnam or Cambodia. The soil is comprised mostly of dunes of white sand dating from the quaternary period, and in fact this region is a renowned supplier of sand for golf courses. Sado river Condo-hotel and conference centre Golf course Golf villas Driving range Golf maintenance centre Clubhouse and restaurant Village of Arez N382 Valle do Guizo ≥ 117 • Aerial view from south The resort lies within a sparse but mature pine forest (Pinus pinea), and it promises to offer the perfect golfing terrain but yet to require minimal construction. Using the vegetation as its very source of inspiration, the course will keep most of the native vegetation, as well as a great deal of open sand. In addition, the alcacer art & golf resort includes a radical and exciting new proposition: an international Public Art project along the line of the fairways, curated by the leading art critic Miguel Wandschneider. Inspiringly, land art projects, sculptures and permanent installations will be strategically placed to generate a parallel promenade offering different insights and approaches to the golf course. • View from the future hotel 118 • Aerial view from east Urbanistically, the masterplan challenges the typical assumptions of resort design, by embracing a notion of organic growth rooted in the specific character of the site and its landscape. The project summons up the powerful image of the Alentejo’s whitewashed villages growing over the centuries by gently adapting to the topography with beauty and simplicity. The alcacer art & golf resort attempts to recreate the urban character of a traditional village, with its organic and trapezoid plazas, its meandering streets and alleys, accompanied by variable leveling, bowed angles and fragmented vistas. Different house types and sizes, from the clustered lake townhouses to the golf club villas or the cork forest cabins, in addition to a cloistered hotel with stunning views of the Sado, are bound to make this project a success. Alcacer Art & Golf Resort Location Arez (Alcácer do Sal), Portugal Developer Salk Properties (Portugal), sa Programme Hotel, conference centre, health & fitness centre, spa, 18-hole golf course with land art project and clubhouse, golf villas, serviced apartments and townhouses. Built Area 121,000 sq.m Estimated Investment eur 125m Plot Size 110 ha Project 2008 (open to public in 2013) • View from the golf’s future 4th-hole 119 In Vino Veritas The pleasure of living and farming in a modern vineyard 120 The vines is located right next to the upcoming 18-hole pga golf course of the art & golf resort, within the medieval town of Alcácer do Sal. Adding yet another layer of value and differentiation to this destination, the vines is a wine inspired concept, rooted in the region’s characteristic winemaking tradition. Wine production plays an important part in the identity, culture and financial sustainability of the project. The beauty and character of the vine landscape and the simplicity of rural life find their counterpart in the multiple aesthetic and sensorial experiences associated with outstanding food and wine. On a gentle slope facing south and overlooking the Carrasqueira estate, the villas and townhouses are organized in small cascading clusters evocative of traditional Alentejo agricultural compounds. The terrace provides areas where children can play and neighbors can meet. Two small lakes surround one of the housing clusters, and the main building is beside the other. The lakes which serve as a sustainable water-retaining basin for agriculture also refresh the air and increase the humidity. 122 The main anchor of the resort is its winery building. Property and fractional owners can have their own grapes harvested and vinified, and with the assistance of a leading oenologist the whole process can be completed up to barrel aging and bottling. In addition, this main building functions as a clubhouse for guests and visitors, offering conference facilities, a wine-tasting bar, a gourmet restaurant and a delicatessen, as well as a wine-based spa, a fitness centre and an indoor relaxation pool. Wine from the alcacer vines will be produced by salk properties in partnership with a producer of reference. With approximately 10 hectares of vines planted the wine to be produced here will have its own singular character within the Official Wine Region of the Sado Peninsula (doc region), whose traditions date back to Greek and Phoenician times. Its soil is composed mostly of lime and sandstone and the climate is Mediterranean subtropical with low variations in temperature given the proximity to the sea. The recommended varieties of grape for red wine are: Alicante Bouschet, Aragonez, Syrah, and Tempranillo; and for white wine Antão Vaz, Arinto, Sauvignon Blanc and Maria Gomes are the most suitable grapes. 123 typoligies • Semi-detached 2−bdr unit expandable into 3−bdr • Semi-detached two-storey 3−bdr unit with upper patio • Semi-detached single-storey 2−bdr unit • 4−bdr villa • Winery building & spa 124 • Study sketches 125 2-bdr & 3-bdr units by the lake Alcacer Vines Location Arez (Alcácer do Sal), Portugal Developer Salk Properties (Portugal), sa Programme 224 units of 5-star serviced villas and townhouses with clubhouse, reception, bar delicatessen, organic spa, health and fitness center, wine cellar and production. Gross Built Area 48,600 sq.m Estimated Investment eur 63m Plot Size 35.1 ha Project 2008 - (open to public in 2013) 126 2-bdr & 3-bdr units with kitchen gardens Townhouses overlooking the river Winery building & Spa Townhouses overlooking the lake Winery building view from the lake 4-bdr Villas seen from the Vineyards 4-bdr Villa 127 • View from west Get the A surfers paradise on the coast of Portugal 128 right one Based on a high-tech artificial surfing pool dreamwave is an alternative surf destination available for training or learning, for when lack of swell or tide conditions prevent surfing in the sea, or simply for the fun of it. It promises to deliver a unique and groundbreaking experience in the surf world. It aims not to fake nature’s experience or compete with it, but to emulate its most challenging element: the waves. dreamwave has been developed in a joint venture between billabong, the world’s leading fashion and apparel surf brand, and its Portuguese partner despomar, experts in market strategy, in association with the Department of Hydraulic Engineering at the university of insbruck, who did the scientific research, and promontorio, who have designed the architectural and retail concept. In addition, the team’s know-how has been complemented by insights and contributions from leading surf professionals from Portugal to Australia. 129 Both for its natural beauty and its surf tradition, the location selected was the town of Cascais. The wave produced by the dreamwave system is power adjustable, making it challenging and exciting for everyone regardless of technical level of surfing, from juniors to professionals. Given that it is the first artificial wave scientifically engineered to achieve similar height (from trough to crest), length, propagation and interval as the ocean waves, dreamwave will boost Cascais as a unique surfer’s destination worldwide. In addition to the surf pool, the complex amenities include a café and restaurant, a chill-out and party zone, a surf shop and an interactive museum of surf. • View from east 130 • Schematic plans • Schematic perspectives Dreamwave Location Cascais, Portugal Developer Dreamwave Holding GmbH R&D Billabong/ Despomar/ Uni Innsbruck/ Promontorio Programme Surfing pool with café-restaurant and surf shop Project 2007 (open to public in 2009) 131 • Gravitational stage 2: Water element Casino Royale 132 Bubbling with excitement amidst waves of colour This new state-of-the-art casino and theatre is part of a large resort in which PROMONTORIO as been deeply involved. As an entertainment anchor, it will be a crucial element of success by bringing excitement, energy and joie de vivre to the destination. Inside, the casino boasts a glamorous 40m double-height hall surrounded by an exclusive mezzanine for private gaming. Echoing the natural curves of the nearby sand dunes, the interior design concept is suggested as a core bursting bubble that sends huge waves of light and glitter across the hall. Synchronized with the ongoing event, this bubble rises to different positions, changing colours and generating different atmospheres. Around it, a series of lower ceiling coved spaces serve specific functions, such as bars, restaurant, cafeteria and cash points. On the second level, the amenities include a panoramic veranda and a VIP gaming and dining area. diagram of flows • Section • Plan 133 • Gravitational stage 1: Earth element • Stage 1 • Stage 2 134 • Gravitational stage 3: Fire element Bubble Casino Location Undisclosed Developer Undisclosed Programme Casino (architecture and interior design) Gross Built Area 2,500 sq.m Project 2007 – 2009 (competition) • Stage 3 135 Enhancing Évora A destination resort in a World Heritage Site 136 137 • Roman Temple of Évora • Church of Saint Francis • Giraldo square, in the centre of Évora The university city of Évora is the capital of the Alentejo region and is listed as a unesco World Heritage Site. Evora resort is a masterplan for a property of 900 hectares known as Sousa da Sé, 6 kilometres from the city centre and less than 1 kilometre from the Lisbon-Madrid highway exit. The masterplan calls for a 60 ha lake with a 36-hole w golf course. There will be a 40 ha first class vineyard at the centre of the project, which will also comprise two hotels, a convention centre, a civic centre, sports facilities, apartments and villas. Provision has been made for the agricultural and farming activities to continue. The clusters of villas and 138 • Church of Graça • Giraldo square / Church Saint Anton • Caraça Alley apartments will form a series of nucleuses, which will reflect the style of the local farm settlements known as “montes”, and this will lead to the creation of small neighbourhoods where families can connect on a day-to-day basis. More than a conventional tourism resort, the project aims to become a part of the expansion of the city of Évora, which is currently under pressure from lack of housing and space for development. The objective is to create a balance between tourism, the local inhabitants and the agro-farming business. Evora Resort Location Évora, Portugal Developer Frontino Turismo, sa Programme Masterplan for a resort comprising a conference centre hotel with health & fitness centre, and a vineyard boutique hotel & spa, within a 36-hole golf course, with villas, serviced apartments, townhouses, football pitch, training centre, tennis & racquet club, kindergarten and an elementary school. Gross built area 280,000 sq.m Number of units 1,470 Tourism beds 5,570 Estimated investment eur 223m Plot Size 900 ha Project 2008 (open to public in 2013) Proposed green area Golf course Planned building Scattered trees Plot limits Water course Forrest Buildings Existing vegetation Landscape design Roads Pasture Vineyards Bikeways 139 • View of rooftop terrace 140 Golfers Paradise Rooftop terraces on a sea of green Golfers say it is the crown jewel of the Algarve. Located near the historic city of Lagos, commanding magnificent views of the bay and the distant Monchique hills, Palmares is one of the most beautiful golf courses to be found anywhere. The miles of white sands and dunes of Meia Praia, the majestic Atlantic and the rolling hills provide a unique backdrop for this spectacular course, which opened in 1975. Designed by the legendary golf architect Frank Pennink, and enlarged by Robert Trent Jones, Jr., Palmares runs along gently undulating valleys bordered by pine, almond and fig trees, with a panorama of 25 km of the Atlantic coastline. During the spring the fairways and hills are covered with flowering shrubs. The blossom from the almond trees, which line the vibrant green fairways, give the impression of snow covered trees beneath the warm sun. 141 It is in this unique context that promontorio won the competition for the design of the first properties to go up under the new masterplan. The 34 semi-detached townhouses have been placed in a widening U-shaped trapezoid to make the most of the golf and ocean views. The car-free cluster forms an informal and densely landscaped piazza with pine trees (Pinus pinea) providing refreshing shade from the sun. Following the success of The Terraces at Pine Cliffs, these two-storey units have also been conceived as patio houses, with interior • • Study models 142 courtyards. These maximize the spatial fluidity and increase natural cross-ventilation thereby reducing the need for mechanical cooling. The rooftops have been transformed into a place of relaxation and pleasure with jacuzzis and a kitchenette so that light meals can be prepared and the dazzling views enjoyed. The semicircular arches have greater depth and form barrel vaulted domes in some cases and shading pergolas in others, which give the complex a distinct Mediterranean character and sculptural presence. Rooftop barrel vaults View from the kitchen Living room with patio Pathway between houses Palmares Golf Townhouses (Villas da Ria) Location Palmares Resort, Meia Praia (Lagos), Algarve Developer Onyria Group Programme 5-star serviced townhouses Gross built area 5,390 sq.m (34 units) Golf designer Frank Pennick (18-hole/ Par 71/ 5,961m) and Robert Trent Jones Jr. (additional 9- hole) Project Competition 1st-prize/ 2008 - (to open in 2011) 143 • Original plan A penthouse for an Art Deco Gem Vintage Works 144 145 • New penthouse extension Successfully restored to its elegant 1940s appearance, this landmark hotel designed by Cassiano Branco is both charming and comfortable... …this gem of a hotel was designed by Cassiano Branco, it is a true museum-piece of 1940s architecture and now ranks among Lisbon’s classified buildings. Michelin Green Guide to Portugal Special Places to Stay Portugal 146 Built in the 1940s and recently extended, the Britannia is a wellpreserved Art Deco gem… Lisbon’s only surviving original Art Deco hotel… Wallpaper* Condé Nast Traveller 147 Elevator Armillary sphere with caravele Wall fresco Living room Main entrance Bar Silverware Coasters 148 Room key-holders Barber shop Cahndeliers Barber utensils Marble bathroom Cash register Glassware 149 floor plans • Ground floor • 1st Floor • 2nd Floor • 3rd Floor • 4th Floor • 5th Floor • 6th Floor • Roof plan Located in a quiet street just off Avenida da Liberdade, Lisbon’s main avenue, and with a touch of modern whimsical nuances, the Britannia is a 1940s hotel designed by the prominent modernist architect Cassiano Branco and flawlessly kept up to date with all its vintage details. The project consisted of adding a floor without damaging the quality of the existing façade and interiors. Barely visible from the street, this discreet extension in zinc roofing and solid oak siding, comprises eight new luxury suites with recessed verandas. The waxed cork floor tiles and the massive Carrara marble bathrooms in the extension were designed as an evocative and contemporary homage to Deco style. Britannia Hotel Location Lisbon city centre, Portugal Developer Heritage Hotels Programme Renovation and extension to provide eight new luxury suites Project 2003 - (open to public in 2005) 150 Rooftop suite Veranda Bedroom Carrara bathroom 151 • Avenida da Liberdade, Lisbon Lifestyle, design and Feng Shui come together in a city hotel Busy, Busy, Busy! promontorio was involved in the creation of Inspira, a new hotel brand resulting from a joint venture between the Madeira island hoteliers Blandy and Investoc, the holding company of the Osório de Castro family. Aimed at the leisure/city-breakers, corporate and mice market segments, the chain’s first hotel, the 89-bdr Inspira Santa Martha, which is located on a street parallel to the busy Avenida da Liberdade, is under construction and is scheduled to open at the end of 2009. The plot consisted of a deep perimeter block facing Santa Marta Street. On the site, the remains of the façade of an early 18th-century palace and a large dilapidated factory on the backyard. With 5 terraced storeys above ground and three levels of underground parking and technical areas, the rooms are distributed around a deep and long sky-lit atrium that begins in the foyer and ends in a theatrical stairway functioning as an informal lounge/event space. 153 In a play of light and shadow, both the walls and the roof in the atrium are covered and shaded by an interweaving solid oak railing with a glazed skylight of zigzagging heights. Serving as a distribution spine, the various functions and amenities — such as reading & relaxation areas, conference & breakout rooms, and the new “atelier/studio” concept— are casually placed along this promenade. Next to the bar, the restaurant has a direct street entrance as it aims to be a gourmet and lifestyle spot attracting business customers from outside the hotel. The Spa is • Study model 154 located on the first floor and is also expected to cater for outside customers, intentionally making it inevitable for them to walk the whole length of the atrium to reach it. As a result of extensive research, the concept for the standard bedroom layout had two main goals: the first, to visually augment the room’s perceived available space and the second, to create a truly pleasing and relaxing bathing area flooded with natural light and with the lavatory playfully placed in an intermediate zone. A multipurpose shelve binds the space between the bath and sleeping area. The graphics on the translucent bathtub glass partition wall characterise the rooms with video projections and graphic imprints. The fundamentals of the Chinese Feng Shui, promoting the reconciliation of the rules and principles of energy fluxes, are imbedded in every detail of the hotel design; the goal being to situate the humanly built spaces in accordance with the best qi spots. • Model section of the lobby 155 plans and section • 2nd Floor • 1st Floor • Ground floor / • Section through lobby 156 Model 1:1 Study model Inspira Santa Martha Hotel Location Lisbon downtown (Rua de Santa Marta), Portugal Operator Inspira Hotels (Inspira sgps) Property jv Blandy Group & Investoc Programme 4-star 89-bdr city hotel & Spa Project 2007 (open to public in 2010) 157 Citybreakers take over A short stay hotel with a unique allure The Tivoli Jardim is a 4-star business hotel designed in the 1960 by the leading modernist architect Pardal Monteiro to complement the adjacent 5-star Tivoli Lisboa, which he had designed a few years earlier for the hotelier Machaz. The 7-storey city hotel is currently owned by the Espírito Santo Group. Located on a parallel street to Lisbon’s main 19th century boulevard, the hectic Avenida da Liberdade, this hotel complex has become an important part of the city’s modernist heritage. • Option B-double 158 In 2008 promontorio won the first prize in a shortlist competition for the renovation of the building, including the restaurants and a lobby bar. According to the briefing, Tivoli Hotels aimed to create Lisbon’s finest corporate and short stay hotel, offering an outstanding design experience in one of the city’s best spots. • Original flyer • Option B-double 159 In relation to the bedrooms, the concept consisted of enhancing sleeping areas by bringing the bath and balcony area into the room and offering a relaxing experience even for the hasty no-frills business guest. Transparency, simple forms, natural colours and textures make a contrast with more dramatic vertical elements such as organic fabrics and lighting effects. An artistic design with calligraphic prints decorating the glass • Option A-double • Option A-twin 160 partitions emphasizes the notion of a never-ending human presence in the space. On the ground level, the cosmopolitan restaurant and lobby bar are full-scale window screens to the city. The proposed collection of vintage furniture and lighting design associated with the small and intimate terrace garden at the entrance forms a boundary between the hotel’s common areas and the bustle of city life. Tivoli Jardim City Centre Hotel Location Lisbon, Portugal Operator Tivoli Hotels & Resorts (Portugal) Programme 4-star 120-bdr boutique hotel Project 2008 (1stprize/unbuilt competition) • Option B-double • Option B-twin 161 Check-in to history A contemporary hotel in an xvii century framework Located in the heart of Lisbon’s historic centre the building comprises a 4-star hotel with 62 rooms and 4 suites. The area is known as the Baixa Pombalina quarter as it was rebuilt under the direction of the prime minister Marquês de Pombal after the earthquake of 1755. D. Maria II National Theatre Rossio station Rossio square Figueira square Misericórdia street Mouraria Bairro Alto Madalena street Camões square São Carlos Theatre São Luiz Theatre Contemporary Art Museum City Hall Terreiro do Paço Alecrim street Cais do Sodré 162 • Comércio street 163 This particular area was not reclaimed land but it was close to a swamp and its 18th century woodpile foundations have been preserved in a very sensitive and precarious balance amidst the muddy debris of the earthquake. The buildings result from what is arguably one of the first European attempts to design an anti-seismic structure. This anticipated the standardization process of the American “balloon frame” by over a century. Therefore, only minimal changes to the structure and building layout were acceptable. Part of a street block, the scheme comprises two buildings facing the parallel streets of São Julião and Comércio. These are connected at ground floor level, where common areas, facilities, reception and other services are located. Given that most of the existing walls were maintained, it was an interesting process to adjust the Enlightened and rationalist matrix of Pombaline architecture to the requirements of a contemporary hotel. In terms of interior design, the design attempts to convey a quasi-voyeuristic unveiling of what would be a contemporary interpretation of the domesticity of a late 70s Lisbon home (the last active occupants of this Pombaline quarter), with its somewhat bizarre mixture of bubble chandeliers, Formica furniture, wood veneers and tiles. Unfortunately promontorio’s interior design concept, as well as significant details of the original project, were changed at the client’s discretion. • Typical floor plan • Ground floor plan • Longitudinal section 164 165 Dining room Double bedroom 166 Double bedroom Room corridor Vincci Lisboa Hotel Location Lisbon (Pombaline quarter), Portugal Operator Vincci Hoteles (Madrid) Programme 4-star 66-bdr boutique hotel Project 1990 (open to public in 2008) 167 Crown and Anchor A new westin as masterplan centerpiece 168 The Westin complex stands at the top of the Dom João ii Avenue and acts as the crown of this main axis of Lisbon’s Expo98 masterplan. Behind it to the south is the hilltop belvedere of Cabeço das Rolas, with magnificent views of the Tejo River. promontorio’s project is the outcome of winning first prize in a shortlist competition held by a private consortium in 2001. promontorio produced a plan and design for a mixed-use complex comprising a 13-storey hotel and a 19-storey office building, both with their main entrance from the main avenue. Given the site, the buildings follow the alignment of the avenue façades, opening a panoramic and pedestrian relationship with the Cabeço das Rolas and reinforcing the reciprocity between the built and the landscaped areas of the precinct. Positioned perpendicularly, the two buildings form a plaza at ground level, with their blade-like configuration emphasizing the skyline in a vertical crescendo that reaches its peak on the avenue axis. 169 As a whole, the composition of the ensemble suggests a certain expression of monumentality as a response to the eminently symbolic character of the Expo plan. Monumentality here is regarded as the relinquishing of a functional expression in favour of bringing the building to its essential type-form, a pristine expression of representational and symbolic meaning without forsaking its comfort and efficiency. In this regard, the ensemble owes much of its solemnity to the material and design of its elevations. These façades, in large panels of white grc and polished aluminium frames, offer an image of solidity, durability and low maintenance. The fact that the frames are positioned unusually deep in the façade provides natural shading for the glazing and reinforces their composition. • Westin plot on Expo’98 area • Hotel and residences typical floor plan • Office building typical floor plan 170 Inside, both buildings have high atriums that rise up to the top floor level of the lower adjacent wing. Lit by a rooftop skylight, this large void functions in one case as a lobby and in the other as a space of corporate representation. The Westin hotel programme comprised 192-bdr and 96-serviced studios and 2-bdr apartments, in addition to a 900–seat conference centre, business centre, restaurant, health & fitness club with outdoor pools, and a spa. The Westin Lisboa Hotel & Residences Location Lisbon Expo’98 (Parque das Nações), Portugal Operator Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. Property Cosadine, Sociedade Imobiliária, SA Programme 5-star 192-bdr and 92-serviced apartments Gross built area 24,000 sq.m (plus 16,000 sq.m of offices) Project 2001-2006 (1stprize, unbuilt/concept stage) 171 Commissioned by the Emirates International Investment Company (eiic) in collaboration with the Municipality, promontorio is masterplanning the waterfront of Canastel, in Oran. Located on the northwest coast of Algeria, it is the country’s 2nd largest city (pop. 2 million) and a major industrial, cultural and educational centre of the region. This stunning city was the home to Nobel Prize winner Albert Camus, who used it as the setting for both of his famous novels La Peste and L’Étranger. French fashion guru Yves Henri Donat Mathieu-Saint-Laurent, another celebrated Oran-native, often claimed the influence of his Algerian upbringing in the spirit of his creations. The easy going and liberal atmosphere that pervades Oran has much to do with its multicultural history. It was founded by Moorish Andalusian traders around AD 937, and due to its strategic location on the coast it quickly developed into a thriving trade and industrial centre with strong commercial links to Spain. Ultimately the Spanish occupied Oran, and although it was later provisionally taken over by Ottoman forces, they only abandoned it completely following the earthquake of 1790. In fact, much of the progress evident in contemporary Oran is largely due to the French, who occupied the 172 city in the 19th-century. The city has a busy working port, servicing cargo ships, fishing boats and ferries that make regular runs to Casablanca and Marseille. Oran features some of Algeria’s most breathtaking coastline, from the rocky cliffs of Canastel to the nearby sandy beaches of Ain el Turck. The falaises d’oran project occupies a 5 km stretch of coastline, east of the city centre, and aspires to become Oran’s key tourism destination. It comprises a large resort community including a shopping centre, hotels, marina, mosque and an aquarium. Across its nearly 300 hectares, the site of falaises d’oran has a varied topography that starts on the summit as a flat plateau, and then the land drops160 metres in a series of steep cliffs until it comes to the shore. Large reefs and soaring bays outline the deep cobalt-blue sea. The plot is flat and narrow at the summit and widens towards the base, but on the slopes the soil composition becomes rough and rocky, forming a typical terraced landscape with Mediterranean vegetation along the stony banks. At home with Albert Camus and Yves Saint Laurent 173 Seaview villas Seafront villas Taking into account the complexity of the topography, the falaises d’oran project has a vast real estate component, both in terms of uses, property sizes, numbers of bedrooms and living rooms per unit and lifestyles. The programme is more focused on providing housing to be held freehold, but it has nevertheless been designed to also offer retail and offices. On the summit plateau, the only sizable flat area of the available plot, there is a mixed-use complex, which includes a shopping and entertainment centre with a hypermarket and other attractive anchors. At the same time it links the existing urban 174 Semi-detached cliff houses structure and the new expansion area. This concentration has also been devised in order to create an effective hub of services and bustling commerce and to avoid cargo and heavy transportation downhill. For pedestrians an aerial cable car system conveniently leads people from the shopping centre main plaza to the entrance of the aquarium, at the base of the cliffs. The villas, townhouses and terraces are organized in small cascading clusters evocative of vernacular tradition in villages and small towns. Echoing these picturesque whitewashed communities, the ensembles Private piers Cliff townhouses Main access to and from Canastel Hotel beach resort Beach townhouses aim to generate a friendly and intimate lifestyle, combined with a design-oriented and refined atmosphere. Also in the spaces generated by these generous and informal clusters there are areas where children can play and neighbours can meet. This idea of cultural and social sustainability, which helps create a spirit of community, is at the forefront of falaises d’oran. Even though the main occupants of falaises d’oran will most likely be permanent residents living in their first-home, the programme is nevertheless conceived to offer a diversity of amenities, Semi-detached cliff houses services and products that allows residents to have an active and full life. With 400 moorings, including hoist, dry docks and gas station, the marina is an important attraction in falaises d’oran. With a series of broken down volumes surrounding the bay and forming small piazzetas and patios, the marina’s public space generates a sophisticated atmosphere inspired by the highly successful examples of outstanding Mediterranean marinas such as Portofino, Cala di Volpe and Port Grimaud. Cliff garden apartments 175 Mosque Marina terraces Marina townhouses Yatch club Marina Close to the waterfront, and next to the Marina Hotel & Conference Centre, the Yacht Club stands as an exceptional icon, offering visitors unobstructed vistas onto both the marina and the sea. Cascading downhill in a series of gentle terraces until reaching the plateau immediately above the beach, the 250-bdr Hotel & Beach Resort has been conceived as a condo-hotel, while the Marina 176 Marina plaza Hotel & Conference Centre, with 420-bdr, will offer conference facilities for 1,000 people. For a master plan with the size of falaises d’oran, certain amenities and public services not only enrich and enliven the place, but also bring it consistency and quality of life. Thus an Aquarium, a Waterfront Promenade and a Mosque, complete the proposed facilities. Marina hotel and Conference centre Algiers Falaises D’Oran, Location Canastel (Oran), Algeria Developer eiic (Emirates International Investment Company) Programme Integrated resort comprising shopping & entertainment centre, marina with 5-star marina hotel & conference centre, 5-star beach resort & destination Spa, villas, townhouses, semi-detached houses and apartments, mosque and aquarium in addition to a waterfront promenade serviced by elevated tramway. Gross built area 1,120,000 sq.m Plot size 300 ha (5 Km) Project 2009 (in progress) Cable cart Aquarium Shopping centre mixed use residences and office Aquarium terraces Main access to and from Oran Aquarium garden apartments 177 • Bungo distric in Luanda bay Tilting Skyline A new vision for Luanda bay promontorio has been invited by a high profile developer to design a large luxury condominium to be located next to the celebrated Hotel Presidente and near the Luanda bay waterfront promenade. It will provide full service apartments for extended stays, which are much sought after by expatriate executives. 178 179 A series of four towers with heights varying between 24 and 32 storeys are sited along the Bungo Avenue in a progression of warped volumes on top of a continuous two-storey plinth of offices and a boutique shopping centre. Currently under study, the project entails sophisticated systems combining glazing and louvers to reduce the amount of mechanical cooling required in the buildings. 180 Luanda Star Towers & Residences Location Luanda (Bungo), Angola Developer Landscape Real Estate, Inc. Programme 380 extended-stay serviced apartments with boutique shopping centre and offices Gross built area 74,000 sq.m Project 2009 • Typical floor plan • Concept sketches 181 • View from the garden Cool House Relaxed living in fast growing Angola 182 Located in Benfica, a new suburb of Angola’s fast growing capital, this private condominium comprises 20 serviced villas developed under a design-and-build contract with the Portuguese contractor arc. The urban concept of this small condominium was devised in order to minimize soil impact by creating the least possible road surface and using native vegetation for the landscaping. 183 Veiled by the high bamboo fences, the 20 villas of three- and four-bedrooms are slightly raised from the ground forming a boomerang shape of twin slabs elegantly adapted to the plots’ diamond shapes. Given the scarcity of skilled labour simple technologies and materials were used. To cope with the harsh tropical heat and humidity, the concrete slabs have wide overhangs with whitewashed plastered masonry walls, in combination with a screening system of vertical solid wooden louvers that lets through Luanda’s cooling breeze. Study model Study model 184 Villas de Benfica Location Luanda, Angola Developer arc, Alves Ribeiro Construcções, sa Brand Serviced condominium Programme 20 three- and four-bdr luxury villas Project 2009 (open to public in 2011) Living room Dining area 185 Wine hq An architectural delicatessen for the gourmet Promontorio, Lisbon Sergison Bates, London Winery building Promontorio, Lisbon João Luís Carrilho da Graça, Lisbon Promontorio, Lisbon Peter Maerkli, Basel 186 l’and vineyards is an inspiring concept that results from a joint-venture between the family based agro-business company Sousa Cunhal and the boutique hotelier Miguel Júdice of Quinta das Lágrimas. This Vineyard Resort aims to combine the lifestyle experience of wine production and rural life with the sophisticated 5-star resort service of Relais & Chateaux. Located in the vicinity of the historic whitewashed town of Montemor-o-Novo, in the Alentejo, it is a little over an hour’s drive from Lisbon and 20 minutes from the city of Évora, a listed unesco World Heritage Site. At l’and vineyards, the vine and the wine are more than part of the landscape. This innovative and unique residential tourism concept proposes wine as a personal experience. Here, property owners will be able to have their own grapes harvested and vinified in the main winery, where the necessary selection, crushing, fermentation, pressing, barrel aging, blending, filtering and bottling will be done. Property owners will have the benefit of the expertise of the distinguished Professor of Enology at Évora University Paulo Laureano who will consult each year on private wine production. City of Montemor-o-novo Promontorio, Lisbon José Paulo dos Santos, Oporto José Paulo dos Santos, Oporto 187 landscape concept Courtyard of nucleus (night time) Canal drop to lake Tennis courts Winery building Town houses Lake promenade Lake pool Lake promenade Semi-detached villas Main gate Heliport Lake pool 188 Secondary road Olive trees Courtyard of nucleus (day time) Villas Vine planting Canal promenade Service gate Secondary road with vineyard Courtyard of nucleus with pergola • Drawing by João Nunes / proap Main road 189 winery building w i n e • • Concept diagrams Production 1 + Welcome + Barrel Aging + 4 + Rest. 2 Spa 1 Patio Kindergarten 2 Patio spa 3 Patio Lounge 4 Patio Restaurant • Study models 190 3 On a gentle valley facing south and looking towards the castle of Montemor on the skyline, the villas and apartments are organized in clusters reminiscent of the agricultural compounds of former times with large patios or largos where children can play and neighbors can meet. A beautiful 3 ha lake refreshes the air and can be used for leisure activities. It also serves as a sustainable water-retaining basin for agriculture. The resort has the highest environmental rating of ecological sustainability ever attributed in Portugal. Besides the masterplan, promontorio designed the main building, the serviced apartments and a nucleus of villas. In addition, promontorio was invited to curate, in collaboration with the client, the invitation to four other architects to design the remaining nucleuses of villas. The resort then became an exciting and distinct architectural experience. The other architects included Peter Maerkli of Basel, Sergison Bates of London, Carrilho da Graça of Lisbon and José Paulo dos Santos from Oporto. • Presentation model • Roof level • Upper level • Lower level 191 Entrance Spa Winery building 192 Patio spa Cellar Restaurant 193 villas • Cluster of Villas • Presentation model 194 Villa in the vineyard Pool Living room Living room and dining 195 townhouses • Townhouse row • Lower level type 1 • Lower level type 2 L’and Vineyards Location Montemor-o-Novo, Portugal Developer Sousa Cunhal Group and Lágrimas Hotels & Emotions Programme 130 units of 5-star serviced villas and apartments with clubhouse, reception, bar delicatessen, organic spa, fitness center and wine cellar and production. Plot size 66 ha Project 2005 (open to public in 2011) • Roof level 196 View towards the lake Kitchen Living room Veranda 197 • Ferraz-Bravo Manor A Glass of Port? A landmark in the heart of the old city 198 The 2-storey-plus-attic manor occupies a characteristically deep and steep gothic plot, and its lowest level and main façade face the Rua das Flores. There is a split-level courtyard between the lower Rua das Flores manor building and the higher street level, which has wonderful views towards the cathedral hill. The courtyard contains a baroque chapel by the Italian master architect Nicola Nasoni, which was allegedly brought onto the site from a nearby house and rebuilt. © lfa Located at the core of Porto’s unesco listed World Heritage Site, the Manor of Maias, also known as Ferraz-Bravo on account of the family crest on the facades, dates back to the 16th century. A number of changes were made by different owners and most of the current building dates from the first quarter of the 19th century. The project consists of the renovation and extension of the stately home and its conversion into a 4-star hotel with 60 bedrooms and suites. Porto’s Douro valley landscape with its steep slopes and the densely packed buildings of its medieval centre cascading down to the swirling river is a unique and timeless sight. 199 • Study model 200 The new extension building faces the higher street level and its impact on the surroundings is reduced by excavating a part of the courtyard’s slope. There is natural light for all the usable spaces, and a spa with an indoor pool and a gourmet restaurant have the benefit of this terrace. Using a precast concrete system stained with natural pigments, the new façade subtly folds in a series of vertical openings breaking down the contrasting modernity of this volume and bringing it into scale with the smaller and picturesque historical surroundings. For the same reason the horizontal rooftop is covered with a corten steel mesh that colour-wise blends with the terracotta tile of the nearby rooftops. In order to emphasize the historic character of the old listed palace, the design strategy aims to preserve most of the existing granite wall structure, solid wood boarding and coffin ceilings. The interior design has been conceived as a way of combining the grandiose spatiality of the old building with present-day comfort and state-of-the-art technology. • 3rd level • 2nd level • 1st level • Ground level • Elevation from Flores street • Longitudinal section 201 © lfa Facade from Flores street © lfa Main entrance 202 2nd floor © lfa © lfa Stairway 2nd floor © lfa Inspira Flores Hotel Location Porto historic centre (Rua das Flores), Portugal Operator Inspira Hotels (Inspira sgps) Property jv Blandy Group & Investoc Programme 4-star 60-bdr city hotel Partner architects [A] ainda arquitectura (Porto) Interior design Promontorio Interior Design Project 2007 (open to public in 2011) 203 public presentation of original architecture model by león levi and his brother Vilalara comes to life 204 Revamping an icon from the 70s On a boat trip in 1966 Almeida Araújo, a self-taught architect and artist, and his English wife Jackie picked out from the sea the eleven hectare site where the Vilalara Resort is now located. Backed by his father-in-law, the financier George Ansley, and inspired by Sardinia’s lavish Costa Smeralda, Araújo began the construction of this unique and ambitious project. In 1968, the birth of their daughter Lara served as a motto for naming the project “Vilalara”. Following Jacques Couëlle’s Cala di Volpe scheme at Porto Cervo, Araújo made Vilalara into one of Portugal’s most exclusive vacation clubs. 205 206 archive photographs 207 plans and original model • Lower level apartment 208 • Upper level apartment A few years later, the tourism entrepreneur León Lévi visited the property, falling head over heels in love with it, and he eventually bought it in 1970. By 1990, Vilalara had opened its unique seawater-based thalassotherapy centre for which it was to become internationally acclaimed. In 2007 Amorim Turismo took over the whole resort which is now managed under its own brand, Blue & Green Hotels. promontorio interior design won the competition for the in-depth renovation; one that included not only the serviced apartments and villas, but also the common areas, such as restaurants, breakfast room, bar and pool. Without falling into pastiche, our aim was subtly to recreate Vilalara’s original ambience, by evoking the characteristic elements, motifs, textures, patterns and colours of late-60s architecture. The typical organic fluidity influenced by Mediterranean and North African vernacular with its riad-like rough stucco, rounded corners and soft material transitions and joints coalesces with the intimate scale and privacy of the apartments and the stunning natural setting of Vilalara. Bright hydraulic mosaics evocative of the Tadelakt, the polished lime plaster of Morroco, are used extensively on the interior walls and floors, echoing the spirit of the traditional coating used in palaces, hammams and bathrooms, in combination with handmade tiles and in-situ concrete tops. The contrasting textures of stucco lucido and wood surfaces in white decapé serve to distinguish and differentiate the different spaces of the suites, i.e. sleeping, relaxing, dressing and bathing. Because the spaces in the existing building had been designed on such a generous scale it was possible to make the bath area in each apartment into a truly exceptional thalassic experience. Vilalara Resort Location Lagoa, Porches (Algarve), Portugal Developer Blue & Green Hotels (Amorim Turismo, sgps) Programme In-depth interior design refurbishment and infrastructure renovation of 120-bdr and 11 apartments Gross floor area 9,000 sq.m Estimated investment eur 9m Project 2008 – 2010 (Competition/ 1st-prize) 209 Boutique Resort Design lifestyle on the red cliffs of the Algarve • Ortho photograph of the plot 210 Overlooking the sea, the stunning red cliffs of Benagil are the perfect setting for the Algarve’s upcoming Benagil Retreat. Devised in a series of parallel walls superimposed on the plot’s gradient, the master plan of the resort is evocative of the Roman grid layout (e.g. the cardus-decumanus main road intersection in Pompeii, Herculaneum) and its cultural remnants in the Mediterranean landscape. With a contemporary feeling, the small and streamlined buildings are designed to follow the line downhill to the secluded Vila Marinha beach. These structures have a variety of loosely defined lengths forming intimate patios, some containing trees and open terraces, others generating private pools. In addition, the various existing ruins of vernacular architecture on the site will be carefully renovated into bars, restaurants, tearooms and other facilities of the resort. • Thermopylae’s captain awaits his rival Cutty Sark • Aerial views 211 • Study model Benagil Retreat, Algarve Location Lagoa, Benagil (Algarve), Portugal Developer Promovalor sgps, sa (The Inland Group) Programme Hotel, conference centre, spa, health & fitness centre, villas, serviced apartments and townhouses With Partner Architects dcm (Denton, Corker Marshall Europe, Ltd) Beds 972 Gross floor area 75,000 sq.m (hotel 15,000/ apartments 30,000/ villas 26,000) Estimated investment eur 220m Plot area 74 ha Project 2008 (opening estimated for 2013) • Study model 212 • Concept sketches 213 Dedicated to Golf A world class hotel to match five world class courses. 214 Located right in the golfing heart of the Algarve, Vilamoura’s new Tivoli is possibly the best dedicated golf-hotel in the Iberian Peninsula. Directly facing the Victoria, Arnold Palmer’s masterpiece, and beside two other world-class courses, the Laguna and the Millennium, it is within one kilometer of yet another two courses, the Old Course and the Pinhal. This quasi-symmetrical building is formed by a main central building and two bedroom wings generating a U-shape facing west. The programme comprises a total of 184-twin and 79-double bedrooms, in addition to 14-junior and 2-executive suites and a stately presidential suite with a private terrace, garden and pool. Furthermore, the hotel offers a large conference facility, with a capacity for 950 people, which was carefully placed in order to leave the life of the hotel undisturbed. 215 • Technical elevation and section 216 A 50mm layer of gravel Geotextile filter 40mm thermal insulation Waterproof membrane 100mm screed finished to falls 250mm reinforced concrete slab 13mm waterproof gypboard suspended ceiling Acoustic mineral wool insulation White concrete precast panel verge White concrete precast ledges 60mm steel dog 30mm sprayed thermal insulation 200mm concrete wall 20mm cement coat on 40mm fiberglass armour and thermal insulation 2mm zinc coping B 3mm waterproofed black slate tile cladding on column 3mm waterproofed black slate tiles Waterproof membrane 20mm weaker concrete laying 50mm screed finished to falls (1.5% pitched area) 150mm lightweight reinforced concrete slab Waterproof silicon sealant w/ 30mm expansion joint Maintenance removable 3mm waterproofed black slate tile 7mm stainless steel sheet support structure 10mm hydraulic micro-mortar gutter Glass mosaic tiles on micro-mortar 250mm reinforced concrete tank ø 80mm polished stainless steel Aluminium fixed frame w/ anodized golden champagne coat 8mm laminated double glazing w/ 10mm cavity Sun blind White precast concrete threshold • Aerial view during construction • Upper level / Entrance C 55mm ipê deck on 45mm wood frame 200mm i-section steel girder Ditch (min. depth 1500mm) 150mm mansory concrete wall w/ 40mm sprayed thermal insulation Geotextile filter 40mm thermal insulation Waterproof membrane Screed finished to falls (1.5% Pitched area) 250mm reinforced concrete slab 110x60mm sucupira handrail w/ non-gloss varnish coat 35x8mm flat rolled steel bar ø 21mm hollow 3mm section Drilling and fixing on precast panel (60x25mm) White concrete precast cornice and trim Bas-relief precast concrete panels 60mm steel dog 40mm sprayed thermal insulation 250mm concrete wall 70mm spanish yellow fossil stone cladding D 19mm gypboard suspended ceiling 20mm mansory wall finished in venetian stucco lucido 8mm x30mm travertine skirting 20mm spanish yellow fossil stone cladding 50mmx30mm sucupira wood skirting 30mm travertine stone 50mm screed finished to falls Aluminium side-hung window w/ anodized golden champagne coat 8mm lam. double glazing + 10mm cavity 50mmx30mm sucupira skirting White precast concrete threshold 70mm spanish yellow fossil stone cladding 60mm steel dog 140/140mm handmade and glassed coated tiles w/ watergreen pigment 340mm brick mansory wall F 30mm algarve (bordeira) calcite stone 7mm algarve (bordeira) calcite stone gutter on metal girder 20mm weaker concrete laying Waterproof membrane Screed finished to falls (1.5% pitched roof area) Waterproof membrane 250mm reinforced concrete slab • Lower level / Pool 60x35mm sucupira handrail w/ non-gloss varnish coat 8mm iron flat bar ø 21mm round hollow 3mm section Drilling and fixing on 60x25mm threshold White precast concrete threshold 20mm weaker concrete laying Waterproof membrane 250mm reinforced concrete slab G 22mm sucupira wood boarding 30x50mm sucupira wood skirting 100mm sucupira wood skirting 50mm timber-frame filled w/ mineral wool layer 20mm weaker concrete laying 250mm reinforced concrete slab Aluminium fixed frame w/ anodized golden champagne coat 8mm laminated double glazing w/ 10mm cavity White precast concrete threshold 20mm weaker concrete laying Waterproof membrane Reinforced concrete foundation shoe Bituminous carpet Thermal insulation Geotextile filter Pvc drainage membrane Pvc drainage pipe 217 The sense of arrival begins with the entry plaza. With its three independent main entrances and stone arcade, its function is to separate the high-flux guests coming as groups or for conferences into the lateral porches, releasing the monumental main entry for the individual visitors. The glamorous two-storey foyer offers magnificent views of the Victoria golf course. From there, the guest can descend towards the outside pools and bars, or go up to the à la carte restaurant and the spa. The latter, paved in heavy blocks of dark slate and deep black stucco lucido walls, is a top-notch facility managed by Banyan Tree, with a central heated infinity pool and panoramic veranda overlooking the Mediterranean, just below another unbelievable sea of green fairways. 218 Meticulously detailed in fine stonework, solid wood and handmade ceramics, the building echoes the spirit of pre-war grand hotels, as it aspires to a contemporary rethinking of classical splendour. The façade system is a composite of massive yellow Travertine stone blocks, white pre-cast concrete lintels and light-gold anodized aluminium frames. Also in pre-cast concrete, and as part of the façade composition, the artist Pedro Calapez designed and moulded a series of decorative bas-reliefs. • View of main building 219 East wing Spa pool 220 Main lobby Lobby bar 221 Main pool Entrance square 222 • Views of typical bedroom Tivoli Victoria Hotel, Conference Centre & Elements Spa by Banyan Tree Location Vilamoura (Algarve), Portugal Developer Tivoli Hotels/ Espírito Santo Tourism (Europe) Programme 280-bdr Luxury Golf Resort Hotel, Conference Centre and Elements Spa by Banyan Tree Gross floor area 36,000 sq.m (12,000 sq.m below ground) Art project Pedro Calapez Estimated investment eur 60m Project 2004 (open to public in 2009) 223 224 Arles up and coming destination on the banks of the river 225 promontorio has been invited to design a Golf Resort concept in the vicinity of the small historic town of Arles. Strategically located in the heart of the Provence/Côte d’Azur region, 17 km (30m drive) from Nîmes Airport and 65 km (50m drive) from Marseille International Airport along the A7 Highway, it is the gateway to the Camargue, one of Europe’s richest ecosystems. Arles became Roman after Julius Caesar distributed the land among his veteran legionnaires in 46 bc. The “Little Rome in Gaul” as the city was dubbed, owes to this history the splendor of its unique Roman heritage including the monumental coliseum that dominates the core of the old town. This charming center, complete with its 17th and 18th century aristocratic townhouses, was listed as a unesco World Heritage Site in 1981. Arles is also the head of the Rhône River delta, making the town a favorite stop for the cruise boats going up or down river. • Langlois draw bridge • Forum • Coliseum • Coliseum arena 226 The name of Arles is closely connected with the life and paintings of Vincent Van Gogh, whose 15 months sojourn was the most productive period of his life. The site of the Golf Resort has much of the most enticing quality of Arles: It is within walking distance of the Old Town, next to the famous Langlois draw bridge that Van Gogh so obsessively painted, and it literally borders the Rhone’s riverfront. The masterplan comprises four different areas that can be phased and run as autonomous (but complementary) business units: (i) a lifestyle retail centre with a health & fitness club at the entrance next to the main road; (ii) a 1,500-seater conference centre for large events; (iii) freehold villas, townhouses, and apartments designed for residential tourism, long stays or retirees; (iv) and a 5-star hotel & spa with 120-bdr and an aparthotel with 100 lock-off units bringing the serviced lodging capacity to 500 beds. The 18-hole golf course covers the whole property, but is centred around the hotel and the clubhouse, a renovated farm building located in the ecological reserve. 10 of the 18 holes plus the driving range provide a unique memorable river promenade. The site includes the existing 19th century Châteaux of the Domaine Tour d’Aling which is located approximately in the centre of the property. It is a charming house surrounded by a dense oak forest, and is due to be renovated and converted into the resort’s business club and gourmet restaurant. • Châteaux Tour d’Aling • Châteaux Tour d’Aling • Aristocratic townhouses • Typical shutters • Typical shutters Arles Golf Resort Location Arles (Provence), South of France Developer Dhamma Asset Management Programme Hotel, conference centre, lifestyle shopping and fitness centre, spa, golf course and clubhouse, golf villas, serviced apartments, townhouses, pools and resort facilities. Built area 60,000 sq.m Estimated investment eur 120m Plot size 110 ha Project 2008 (open to public in 2013) • Typical shutters • Sun clock 227 • Guarajuba beach Tropical Modern 228 The project comprises a 5-star hotel resort with 282 bedrooms (226 doubles and 60 suites) with a 500-seater conference centre and residence-club with 56 lock-off units. It is located 40 km North of the Salvador da Bahia international airport, along the world famous Estrada do Côco, between a coral-reef beach waterfront and a natural subtropical lagoon. A design inspired by 50s Brazilian Architecture 229 Study model Study model Ground floor plan 230 Inspired by Brazilian modernism of the 1950s, the building is formed by a central core of two main blocks (reception-lobby and conference centre), from which spring skywalks leading to the East and West bedroom wings respectively. The core building structure is based on a matrix of concrete mushroom columns, with the facades in a system of concrete blade-like vertical louvers standing next to a coloured-glass curtain wall. Challenging the conventional U-shaped footprint of international resort hotels, these bedroom wings are positioned in a jagged configuration that simultaneously expands the diversity of ocean views and encourages people to walk between the buildings and around the gardens. In addition, there is a residence club with serviced apartments and lock-off units. These form a series of single-storey volumes with barrel-vault roofs disposed in an orthogonal matrix, creating a stunning contrast with the landscape of dunes and coconut trees. The beach-club and the spa have an Alvorada-like arched facade that further resonates the tribute to the Niemeyer aesthetics that have inspired the overall design. • Bethroom • • Main building / Plan and section 231 Gourmet restaurant Main building Bridge to bedroom wings Main entrance plaza Melia Bahia Hotel Resort, Conference Centre & Spa Location Guarajuba (Bahia), Brazil Developer Sol Melia Hotels & Resorts Programme 282-bdr units (226-bdr and 60 suites) and resort with conference centre, spa and 56-all suites lock-off residences Gross floor area 36,000 sq.m Associate architects Barbas Lopes, Cassia Cavani and afa Consultant Álvaro Sans Project 2004 (open to public in 2012) 232 Pool bar Main lobby • Aerial view 233 Riverfront Revival Portimão to get state of the art Aquarium and new river walk • Aerial view of Portimão 234 Portimão is the second city of the Algarve and is located on the coast in the western half of the region. It has a population of 45,000. Known by the Romans as Portus Magnus, the city became a major departure point for Portuguese explorers. Bartolomeu Dias, for instance, set off from here in 1487 to become the first European navigator to round the Southern tip of Africa. In the 16th and 17th centuries, fortifications were built on both sides of the Arade River to protect the town from piracy. However, most of Portimão was destroyed in the Great Earthquake of 1755. Though the city owes most of its economic growth over recent decades to tourism, its history reaches much further back to a period of time when its fishing activity acted as the main source of income for the town. As testimony of the enduring importance of fishing, the dilapidated riverfront and harbor, with its bustling streets and urban life, is still the town’s main attraction. • Archive image 235 After promontorio won the design and build competition for the redesign of the riverfront, the municipal company ExpoArade and builders fdo created the Rio Adentro consortium. This ambitious project features an Aquarium based on the theme of the pelagic realm, in addition to a Live Butterfly Conservatory and a Multimedia Centre. • Masterplan The project also comprises restaurants, shops, cafes, car parking, and the landscaping of the whole river walk. Over 8 hectares of high quality public space will be created along 2 kilometres of frontage, and the parts of the historic centre that border the riverfront will also be restored. Upon completion, the renovated Portimão riverfront is expected to generate an estimated million visitors a year and to reduce considerably the town’s seasonal dependence. Formal gardens Mixed use Water gardens Aquarium Events platform 236 Insectarium Skate park Originarium Submarine Bar Restaurant Cable car Thematic gardens Tourims office North park Commercial area 237 Sketches insectarium Schematic plans Study models aquarium Sketches Study models 238 Schematic plans Schematic plans originarium Schematic diagrams water garden Sketches Sketches Portimão Riverfront Revival Location Portimão riverfront (Algarve), Portugal Developer Rio Adentro Consortium Programme Urban renewal project, including aquarium, live butterfly conservatory, multimedia theatre, restaurants, bar and tourism centre. Media Turmar (Dr. Paulo Serra Lopes) Area 2 kilometres long Estimated investment eur 90m Project 2006 (open to public in 2012) 239 All dressed up! A high profile intersection for Art and Architecture 240 Scheduled to begin construction at the end of 2009, the Parque NorteSul project is a joint venture between Accor and Chamartín to develop a 1-star etap unit and a 2-star ibis unit, with 209 and 264 rooms respectively. In addition, Chamartín will develop 120 studios under the Studio Residence brand. The complex is highly visible from the Lisbon ring road (2nd Circular), and a façade system was devised to incorporate a public art project based on a system of bas-relief precast concrete panels. In collaboration with promontorio, the artist Gabriela Albergaria (b. 1965) created a landscape panorama to provide a stark contrast with the harshness of the surroundings. The artificial representation of nature in photographic imprints is overtly emphasized by the colour of the buildings themselves, which will be green, blue and beige. • Decorative motifs by Gabriela Albergaria Parque NorteSul Hotel & Residences Location Benfica (Lisbon ring road), Portugal Operator Groupe Accor Property Accor/ Chamartín, sa Programme Ibis and Etap units, plus studios. Gross built area 19,600 sq.m (plus 12,000 sq.m underground) Project 2001 (opening estimated for 2011) 242 View from ring road (2nd circular) / Tomás da Fonseca street View from Tomás da Fonseca street View from interior street 243 Ville Blanche A bond between the Alentejo’s whitewash tradition and contemporary simplicity • Presentation model 244 promontorio was invited to design the concept and master plan for an estate of second homes. Located a short distance from the historic centre of Alcácer do Sal, on the former main road connecting Lisbon to the Algarve, the plot was the last remaining part of a site formerly owned by the agro-business company known as Quinta do Pinhal. The ruins which remain there are reminders of the site’s agricultural past (olive oil and orange groves), and the water well drilling and bottling operations are still evident in the array of tanks, wells and water towers spread across the property. In addition to the renovation of the ruined buildings, the two-storey villa of the former landowner, built in the typical naïve vernacular style of the 1920s, has been kept as a memory of the place’s history. The layout of the estate was planned with the intention of preserving as many trees as possible, most of which were olive groves planted on an orthogonal matrix to improve agricultural production. The streets are laid out in light grey granite cobblestones, which allow rainwater to percolate through, blend with the local landscape and reduce the gradient impact of the plots. In order to guarantee the coherence of the overall design, both the developer and the individual plot owners are obliged to comply fully with the regulations for the design and building of the projected 4-bdr and 5-bdr villas. • 4−bdr villa 245 • Model 5-bdr villa • • 5-bdr villa • Model 5-bdr villa • Model 2-bdr villa • Model 4-bdr villa 246 • 2-bdr villa • 4-bdr villa With large open plan areas and a straightforward programme, these villas aim to establish a bond between the Alentejo’s traditional whitewashed architecture and contemporary ideas of simplicity and synthesis in design. The contrasting shades produced by the intense light of the region reinforce the tension coming from the atectonic geometry of the cantilevered volumes with their perplexing and unusual lengths. Pinhal de Alcacer Location Alcácer do Sal, Portugal Developer Almeida & Gil, sa Programme Estate of 130 villas Gross built area 24,000 sq.m Plot size 9 ha Estimated investment eur 38m Project 2004 247 • View of the basin and shower area It’s the economy, stupid! Price meets style meets functionality 248 249 In partnership with Neoturis (cbre) hospitality consultants promontorio developed the concept for an innovative budget hotel to be developed in the Iberian market by Societé Du Louvre, Europe’s second largest hotel network, in association with Espírito Santo Tourism. The project was later stopped when the group was acquired by the Starwood Capital Group, Barry Sternlicht’s hospitality holding company. • View from above 250 The briefing called for a contemporary approach to hotel design and management that could parallel the mass customization of comprehensive brands such as Smart, Swatch, Ikea or Zara. Directly competing against the long term market leader Groupe Accor, it aimed to take advantage of the eroded and declining image of budget hotels by infusing them with a design oriented and classless approach and by customizing them in three different dimensions simultaneously: price, style and functionality. Budget Hotel Location Multiple (Portugal and Spain) Developer Societé Du Louvre (Groupe Taittinger) Brands Première Classe and Campanile Research Neoturis/ cb Richard Ellis Programme Budget hotel concept Project 2005-2006 • View of the window 251 • Masterplan The future 252 Lusail City has been master-planned to become Qatar’s newest metropolis, extending over 35 sq. km. It is being developed by the state owned Qatari Diar Real Estate Investment Company and the aim is to provide accommodation for up to 200,000 people in the near future. Located in Umm Salal, near West Bay Lagoon, and some 15 km north of Doha’s city centre, this vast development will include two marinas, residential areas, island resorts, commercial districts, shopping and leisure facilities, in addition to two golf courses and an entertainment district. promontorio has been invited by the maf Group to submit a proposal for The Downtown at Entertainment City; an inland shopping centre resort that will be one of the key macro-plots of Lusail. The programme comprises two hotels, offices and 1,000 apartment units, all of which are anchored by a large shopping mall. is now Qatar’s largest destination resort • Axonometric of the ensemble 253 Drawing on a planned seawater canal that criss-crosses the plot, the proposed scheme is structured around three water plazas that result from the widening of this waterway at specific locations. Positioned at each end of the plot, with dense vegetation and strong shading, these plazas emphasize the presence of water through the use of large amphitheatres that offer a fresh and welcoming space both for the hotels (the 5-star business and the 4-star family), the • Family hotel & apartments 254 serviced apartments and the corresponding housing segments (luxury and mid-range). In addition, cars can come right to the main entrances of the hotels deep within the water plazas, and guests get a unique and powerful arrival experience. The shopping centre, with its delta footprint and a triangular loop circuit, is highly effective and very clear from a commercial point of view. The two distinct areas generated by this layout; the high- end and the main mall, also have separate entrances. In addition the high-end mall is directly connected to both hotel lobbies maximizing the mixed-use potential of the programme. The third water plaza is located at the heart of the shopping centre and is positioned as an exterior f&b and all-day dining destination for the whole resort. The 45-storey office tower is located on the most visible spot of the whole scheme and shares an iconic entrance with the main mall. Qatar Downtown Shopping Resort Location Doha (Lusail City), Qatar Developer maf - Majid Al Futtaim Group Programme Shopping centre resort comprising a 5-star hotel conference centre & destination Spa, a 4-star family hotel, extended-stay and serviced apartments, shopping & entertainment centre and apartment units. Gross built area 500,000 sq.m Plot size 18 ha Project Short-listed competition in 2009 - (to open in 2012) • Luxury hotel & apartments 255 © yoh afterword Second Chances And tell me this: I must be absolutely sure. This place I’ve reached, is it truly Ithaca? Few unspoiled natural beaches remain in the south of Europe or on the north side of the Mediterranean. Over the past two decades, the accumulated growth of 550% in the beach tourism segment alone has led to a traumatic transformation of the landscape in regions of Spain, like Andalusia, Valencia and Catalonia, or in the Portuguese Algarve. Speculation, coupled with poor design and the lack of planning or sustainability, has left many of the warm beaches of Iberia in less than good shape. We would like to believe that given a second chance to do everything again, things would be different and better. Such an opportunity comes once in a blue moon, but south of Lisbon, the Tróia-Alcácer-Grândola Atlantic oceanfront may well be the last 70 Km of immaculate white-sand beaches in southern Europe to receive a tourism cluster of national magnitude. It is clearly not a great time to launch a new destination, in a world still struggling with an unprecedented mortgage crisis. Moreover, competing with consolidated locations, which are slashing prices as we speak, new destinations will have to pay their entry ticket with extra marketing effort. And yet, if the gentle 256 climate and the stunning wilderness of the region were not enough, the quality of infrastructure and the 40km-drive from the upcoming new Lisbon airport, are bound to make this destination second to none in Iberia. Some projects are already under construction, but most are in the final stages of approval, and by the end there will be nearly 26,000 beds along the coast and 15,000 in the Alcácer hinterland, with a total of 13 resorts and 9 new 18-hole golf courses designed by the likes of Jack Nicklaus, Robert Trent Jones Jr, McLay Kidd, Cabell Robinson and Donald Steel. In addition, management contracts are being signed with prestigious hotel brands such as Amanresorts, Fairmont, Park Hyatt and Six Senses. At the risk of sounding politically incorrect, we would argue that these figures are reasonable provided two conditions are met: (A) If the development is properly monitored and phased over the next two decades, and (B), if there is a real and active concern for tourism sustainability. And here, we go back to that new opportunity for doing things right. Sustainable tourism, a bit like the Hippocratic oath, means “First, Homer, The Odyssey do no harm.” It is the foundation for destination stewardship. It anticipates environmental impacts, preserving habitats, heritage sites, scenic appeal and local culture. It safeguards resources and effectively reduces pollution, energy consumption, waste, water usage, landscaping chemicals and excessive nighttime lighting. It respects local culture and tradition. It aims for quality, measuring success by length of stay, rather than by number of visitors. It involves the community, its civic groups and local businesses. Last, but not least, in what is perhaps the most relevant aspect for promontorio, it values architectural integrity from a long term point of view. The Tróia-Alcácer-Grândola region has the potential to become a unique eco-conscious destination and, to conclude on a positive note, we sincerely believe that this “second chance” region will not forfeit the opportunity of becoming an unparalleled example of unity between natural landscape and human presence. Paulo Martins Barata pmb@promontorio.net Ana Germano aag@promontorio.net Ana Gonçalves ana@promontorio.net Anthony Thevenon ath@promontorio.net António Braga abb@promontorio.net Antonio Branco atb@promontorio.net Bruno Cardoso bvc@promontorio.net Carmo Pupo cpc@promontorio.net Catarina Castro coc@promontorio.net Catarina Norton cnm@promontorio.net Catarina Sousa cvs@promontorio.net Claudia Silva css@promontorio.net Dario Graça dgp@promontorio.net David Alcobia dma@promontorio.net Duarte Pape dmp@promontorio.net Filipa Vitória fdv@promontorio.net Francisco Rugerroni fnr@promontorio.net Helena Lourenço hcl@promontorio.net Joana Cancela jpc@promontorio.net Joana Wanderley jvd@promontorio.net João Lúcio jal@promontorio.net João Luis Ferreira jlf@promontorio.net João Perloiro jjp@promontorio.net Luis Teixeira lat@promontorio.net Magda Velez mev@promontorio.net Manuel Simões mrs@promontorio.net Marta Fonseca mmf@promontorio.net Marta Nunes min@promontorio.net Nelson Paciência njp@promontorio.net Nuno Rodrigues nmr@promontorio.net Nuno Silva nfs@promontorio.net Paulo Martins Barata pmb@promontorio.net Paulo Pereira pmp@promontorio.net Paulo Perloiro pgp@promontorio.net Pedro Appleton pma@promontorio.net Pedro Botelho pbp@promontorio.net Pedro GrandAo pgs@promontorio.net Pedro Torres pft@promontorio.net Pedro Vieira pjv@promontorio.net Rita Conde rgc@promontorio.net Rita Dinis ard@promontorio.net Rita Henriques rgh@promontorio.net Sara Carvalho sfc@promontorio.net Sofia Araujo ssa@promontorio.net Sofia Reis sbr@promontorio.net Sónia Costa smc@promontorio.net Tiago Baldaque tbspromontorio.net Tiago Ferreira gtf@promontorio.net Vera Caseiro vvc@promontorio.net Yolanda Candeias yoh@promontorio.net CHRISTIAN ANDERSSON JOHN BALDESSARI MICHAEL BIBERSTEIN ANGELA BULLOCH FILIPA CÉSAR LUIS PAULO COSTA TATJANA DOLL JOÃO PAULO FELICIANO SABINE HORNIG JOSÉ LOUREIRO JOÃO LOURO DANIEL MALHÃO MATT MULLICAN JOÃO ONOFRE ROSÂNGELA RENNÓ JULIÃO SARMENTO NOÉ SENDAS RUI TOSCANO LAWRENCE WEINER ERWIN WURM YONAMINE Rua de St.o António à Estrela 33 I 1350-291 Lisboa I Portugal T + (351) 213 959 559 F + (351) 213 959 567 E galeria@cristinaguerra.com URL www.cristinaguerra.com knoll.com Product photography by Ilan Rubin © 2009 Knoll, Inc. nord av. infante d. henrique armzém b loja 6 tel. +351 21 882 10 45 fax +351 21 715 65 45 nord@lojanord.com