Abrantes Castle Art and Archaeology Park
Concurso Castelo de Abrantes, Portugal; Competition: 2nd Prize
KWY.studio (Ricardo Gomes with Sara Cálem, Gabriela Raposo and André Santos)
Baldios (Armando Neves Ferreira, Catarina Raposo, Joana Marques, Pedro Gusmão, Samuel Alcobia and João Antunes)
Reclaimed Cultural Landscape
A place’s life force is related with its immersion in contemporary cultural systems. In the last two centuries the Castle of Abrantes, once a platform of activity, social relations and cultural manifestations, lost the capacity to actively intervene in the construction of a social or material, even historical culture of the city. The renewal of this potential is modelled through the envisaging of a structure capable of hosting a dynamic and flexible program, capable of penetrating the city’s collective memory.
The proposal aspires to integrate the Castle with local and national culture through the conversion of the hill into one of the hubs of the Iberian Museum of Archaeology and Art of Abrantes (MIAA). The new structure - the Art and Archaeology Park (PAAC) - reclaims a place in the quotidian of Abrantes’ citizens through the development of a diversified program, directly related to the city and which supports social and cultural activities. The scheme re-establishes the connection to the city through the clarification of the accessibility to the Castle, starting with a new large square that acts as a link between them. PAAC elaborates an open program, articulated by new paths and routes which provide a new way of looking and living the Castle and its defensive structures.
Garrison Square
The square, defined as the main entrance to the PAAC, accommodates various architectural elements which direct visitors to the Castle’s entrances. The stair tower by the Northwest Bastion offers a link to the Castle through the Arm’s Door, crossing the Bastion Garden and the Marquis’ Garden. The Elevated Walkway offers a contemplative journey to the Door of Treason, passing through the Arcades Garden. The accompanying stair Tower further eases the connection up from the S. Pedro Hillock. Complementing the Square’s program there is a new small amphitheatre facing the Charters de Almeida Garden.
The Castle’s Precinct and Woods
The different juxtaposed elements establish relations that question established canons. As a result, the proposal creates a platform which explores the bond between culture and landscape through the restoration of the Governor’s Palace, Sta. Maria do Castelo Church, and the Watchtower. The Woods, or Sculpture Park, will host art exhibitions coupled with artist residency programs.
The Castle ground is made up of layers of rock. The proposed terrain is modelled to gradually reveal the barrack and storehouses. The precinct’s soil profile is ideal for the planting of arboreal vegetation and thus a forest of pine and oak trees is proposed.
Through the requalification of the Palace’s ground floor, the proposal extends the exhibition space of MIAA to the Palace and the Castle Woods, which can be occupied by the work of the artists in residence. The intervention will provide a reception, exhibition rooms, artist studios, a meeting room, kitchen and storage. The main exhibition room opens up the Palace’s existing arcades, providing a new view to the city.
Due to the quality of its acoustics, the Sta. Maria do Castelo Church is prepared for large audiences, and therefore becomes a space dedicated to concerts and conferences. Raising the height of the Watchtower intends to restore the image of its original height, dating back to the reign of D. Afonso III, allowing visitors an approximate experience of the view of the surroundings to that of the XIV century.
The Gardens
Extending along the Castle’s Hill, the Ring Garden is level with the city landscape, establishing a closed circuit which is structured and reequipped with a sports area and a children’s playground. The pathways and vegetation systems are reconfigured to accommodate these facilities and a number of grass clearings. Along the platform where, so the myth goes, the Abrantes Marquis created his own garden with a view to and from the city, the proposal offers the Arcades Garden, where shrubs and herbaceous fruit, aromatic and medicinal herbs are planted.
The Tropical Garden, located in the Southwest Bastion, is dedicated to Francisco de Almeida, an iconic historic figure of Abrantes. This garden hosts a botanical collection of tropical vegetation from the Indian Ocean – referencing the places across India visited by its first Regent King, – a statue of D. Francisco, and the existing bandstand. The latter can accommodate small events, concerts, or eventually be adapted into a kiosk.
Between Sta. Maria’s Church and the Governors Palace, the Church Garden is walled with water tanks and vegetation, benches and tables for reading and meeting. The wall will strengthen the relationship between the entrance ramp, the Church, and the Woods.
In the Edifício Carneiro extention, which will host part of the artist Charters de Almeida’s oeuvre, the proposal extends the exhibition program into the sloped terrain. Its Garden will accommodate works of the artist under a grove of pines, oaks, corks, ash trees and wild olive trees.
The Castle’s recent history is marked by the loss of meaning and a simplification of its existence. The S. Pedro Hillock will commemorate an intrinsic desire for dilution: from the Nuno Álvares Pereira memorial, a path will take one to the southern limit, to a viewing platform overlooking the alluvial landscape of the Tagus River. From both sides of the pathway, the surface is covered with a floral meadow that will recall the passing of the seasons.
Concurso Castelo de Abrantes, Portugal; Competition: 2nd Prize
KWY.studio (Ricardo Gomes with Sara Cálem, Gabriela Raposo and André Santos)
Baldios (Armando Neves Ferreira, Catarina Raposo, Joana Marques, Pedro Gusmão, Samuel Alcobia and João Antunes)
Reclaimed Cultural Landscape
A place’s life force is related with its immersion in contemporary cultural systems. In the last two centuries the Castle of Abrantes, once a platform of activity, social relations and cultural manifestations, lost the capacity to actively intervene in the construction of a social or material, even historical culture of the city. The renewal of this potential is modelled through the envisaging of a structure capable of hosting a dynamic and flexible program, capable of penetrating the city’s collective memory.
The proposal aspires to integrate the Castle with local and national culture through the conversion of the hill into one of the hubs of the Iberian Museum of Archaeology and Art of Abrantes (MIAA). The new structure - the Art and Archaeology Park (PAAC) - reclaims a place in the quotidian of Abrantes’ citizens through the development of a diversified program, directly related to the city and which supports social and cultural activities. The scheme re-establishes the connection to the city through the clarification of the accessibility to the Castle, starting with a new large square that acts as a link between them. PAAC elaborates an open program, articulated by new paths and routes which provide a new way of looking and living the Castle and its defensive structures.
Garrison Square
The square, defined as the main entrance to the PAAC, accommodates various architectural elements which direct visitors to the Castle’s entrances. The stair tower by the Northwest Bastion offers a link to the Castle through the Arm’s Door, crossing the Bastion Garden and the Marquis’ Garden. The Elevated Walkway offers a contemplative journey to the Door of Treason, passing through the Arcades Garden. The accompanying stair Tower further eases the connection up from the S. Pedro Hillock. Complementing the Square’s program there is a new small amphitheatre facing the Charters de Almeida Garden.
The Castle’s Precinct and Woods
The different juxtaposed elements establish relations that question established canons. As a result, the proposal creates a platform which explores the bond between culture and landscape through the restoration of the Governor’s Palace, Sta. Maria do Castelo Church, and the Watchtower. The Woods, or Sculpture Park, will host art exhibitions coupled with artist residency programs.
The Castle ground is made up of layers of rock. The proposed terrain is modelled to gradually reveal the barrack and storehouses. The precinct’s soil profile is ideal for the planting of arboreal vegetation and thus a forest of pine and oak trees is proposed.
Through the requalification of the Palace’s ground floor, the proposal extends the exhibition space of MIAA to the Palace and the Castle Woods, which can be occupied by the work of the artists in residence. The intervention will provide a reception, exhibition rooms, artist studios, a meeting room, kitchen and storage. The main exhibition room opens up the Palace’s existing arcades, providing a new view to the city.
Due to the quality of its acoustics, the Sta. Maria do Castelo Church is prepared for large audiences, and therefore becomes a space dedicated to concerts and conferences. Raising the height of the Watchtower intends to restore the image of its original height, dating back to the reign of D. Afonso III, allowing visitors an approximate experience of the view of the surroundings to that of the XIV century.
The Gardens
Extending along the Castle’s Hill, the Ring Garden is level with the city landscape, establishing a closed circuit which is structured and reequipped with a sports area and a children’s playground. The pathways and vegetation systems are reconfigured to accommodate these facilities and a number of grass clearings. Along the platform where, so the myth goes, the Abrantes Marquis created his own garden with a view to and from the city, the proposal offers the Arcades Garden, where shrubs and herbaceous fruit, aromatic and medicinal herbs are planted.
The Tropical Garden, located in the Southwest Bastion, is dedicated to Francisco de Almeida, an iconic historic figure of Abrantes. This garden hosts a botanical collection of tropical vegetation from the Indian Ocean – referencing the places across India visited by its first Regent King, – a statue of D. Francisco, and the existing bandstand. The latter can accommodate small events, concerts, or eventually be adapted into a kiosk.
Between Sta. Maria’s Church and the Governors Palace, the Church Garden is walled with water tanks and vegetation, benches and tables for reading and meeting. The wall will strengthen the relationship between the entrance ramp, the Church, and the Woods.
In the Edifício Carneiro extention, which will host part of the artist Charters de Almeida’s oeuvre, the proposal extends the exhibition program into the sloped terrain. Its Garden will accommodate works of the artist under a grove of pines, oaks, corks, ash trees and wild olive trees.
The Castle’s recent history is marked by the loss of meaning and a simplification of its existence. The S. Pedro Hillock will commemorate an intrinsic desire for dilution: from the Nuno Álvares Pereira memorial, a path will take one to the southern limit, to a viewing platform overlooking the alluvial landscape of the Tagus River. From both sides of the pathway, the surface is covered with a floral meadow that will recall the passing of the seasons.
