Luísa de Gusmão School (Oitoo)

Open Competition: second prize

The proposal is grounded in a careful reading of the existing structures, understanding the building as a repository of memory and continuity. The intervention combines the rehabilitation of the original 1950s structures with the introduction of new programs and spaces, allowing the building to evolve while responding to the contemporary demands of education and collective life.
Occupying a singular position on Monte Agudo, the school enjoys a privileged relationship with the urban landscape of Lisbon. The redevelopment of the outdoor spaces and recreation areas seeks to enhance this exceptional condition, transforming them into places for gathering, contemplation, and everyday appropriation, where the experience of the city becomes an integral part of school life.
The proposal strengthens the permeability between the school and its surroundings, recognizing open spaces as fundamental elements in the organization of the project. These outdoor areas play a central role within the ensemble, accommodating social interaction, informal learning, and the development of a sense of community.
The relocation of the sports field to the roof of the student facilities, in direct connection with the gymnasium, frees the ground level for the creation of a new recreational promenade. Conceived as a continuous and multifunctional space, it becomes the school’s primary place for gathering, encouraging social interaction, everyday occupation, and a diversity of uses, while reinforcing the relationship between architecture, landscape, and community.