Cultural Centre in Coimbra (Portugal)
Library + Exhibition Space + Street Cinema
2nd Local Prize XXIII Iberian Competition for PLADUR Building Solutions
Team: Isabel Rivas, Javier Ureña
SET by the Mondego river, halfway between Oporto and Lisbon, the city of Coimbra takes pride of being home to both the oldest university in Portugal and one of the most spectacular baroque libraries in Europe.
The low city has traditionally been the place where services and shops have been located. The aim of our proposal is to unveil what is normally hidden. Culture plays an important role in Coimbra, but it is not usually on display. We turn the building inside out, as if it were a double sided jacket.
The spaces are multifunctional. They can be used either as a library or temporary exhibitions spaces, but also as workshops.
The facade itself is conceived as a bookshelf. Passers-by can watch the books while walking. The ground floor merges with the street, which becomes part of the building. This new space might be an open-air theatre, or perhaps a cinema. Maybe just a small concert stage in Summer.
The low city has traditionally been the place where services and shops have been located. The aim of our proposal is to unveil what is normally hidden. Culture plays an important role in Coimbra, but it is not usually on display. We turn the building inside out, as if it were a double sided jacket.
The spaces are multifunctional. They can be used either as a library or temporary exhibitions spaces, but also as workshops.
The facade itself is conceived as a bookshelf. Passers-by can watch the books while walking. The ground floor merges with the street, which becomes part of the building. This new space might be an open-air theatre, or perhaps a cinema. Maybe just a small concert stage in Summer.
