Program: Art gallery,Renovation
Location: Cascais, Portugal
Period: 2015
Built surface: 700m2
CITY WITHIN WALL
The fortresson the Cresmina Beach was used to be a structure for military defence from 17 century. The solid wall is a symbol of centralized power, representing an inaccessible boundary. The geometry of a polygon is still visible, while for years the process of nature has gradually broken the enclosure into an open ruin.
The new construction chooses to emphasize the importance of the inner core. Insisting on the existinggeometry, six radial streets are sensitively introduced towards surrounding landscapes. The closeness of the frameworks is resolved into a porous territory and the historic site is therefore given new characters.
The void of the fortress is then carved into six volumes, each of which contains different programs. They are loosely connected, creating ambiguous atmosphere like islands floating on the sea. Instead of creating an isolated building, the project actually transforms the fortress into a micro-city.