Archinect
Bruno Trindade Bernardo

Bruno Trindade Bernardo

Lisboa, PT

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Públia Hortênsia de Castro High School

The pavilions that composed the school were quite recent (1981) though very poor in quality. The inadequate conditions to perform the contemporary needs of school practice dictated the building’s physical reorganization. The solution, in order to maintain most of the existent (a request by the client), became the fulfillment of the spaces between the pavilions, generating a continuous entity.

The unity of the building was achieved by neutralizing the visual presence of those pre existences, through strategies that would allow for a consolidation of the architectural language. Externally, the handmade solid brick gives protection and reduces maintenance costs. The use of Glass Reinforced Concrete slides, applied in front of window openings, helps control lighting incidence, and provides some continuity to the external image of the ensemble.

Internally, the goal was for a clear, simple and bright approach, with easy distribution paths along straightforward corridors, allowing all spaces to be accessed within the building, without external crossings. Each inner courtyard recieved a distinct color, associated with the different areas inside the school, and reflecting their specific hue on the white walls. 

 
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Status: Built
Location: Vila Viçosa, PT
My Role: Architect
Additional Credits: Cândido Chuva Gomes, Arquitectos Lda.