quartel do monte pedral

Short term vision

Long term vision

It entails recognising the physical, dimensional, expressive and structural qualities of what is already there and studying the feasibility of expanding their life cycle

The Yard - Long term vision

The Alley - Short term vision

The Alley - Long term vision

The Barracks - Short term vision

The Barracks - Long term vision

The Riding Ring - Short term vision

The Riding Ring - Long term vision

There’s almost everything there: a plethora of typologically flexible buildings, in a surprisingly good state, magnificent trees, alleys, courtyards… Now that the Army has left, these venerable barracks are only missing a new community to use the area’s resources, inhabit it, look for it.

How?

First of all, by embracing the qualities of what’s already there, before turning to the usual device of tearing everything down to ease a brand new project over the site.

By analysing the condition of the existing buildings, it becomes obvious some of them are very worthy of maintaining, and that the existing 14 000sqm of built area constitute a significant part of the required 50 000sqm. It seems to us that tearing down something only to rebuild it is something intrinsically unsustainable, from an environmental, economic and social point of view.

We believe that reusing most of the existing structures, expanding them following their typological rules and enhancing their structural potential is a very compelling scenario. It makes it possible to meet the competition’s requirements for affordable housing and student residences and, above all, to build and densify a new piece of urban fabric in a truly sustainable way.

The proposal states that there is another way to deal with the vast post-industrial or military areas in urban context - which is not the usual tabula rasa. It entails recognising the physical, dimensional, expressive and structural qualities of what is already there and studying the feasibility of expanding their life cycle.

The new life of Monte Pedral can start right now. The proposal suggests that roughly half of the existing built area can be easily converted to fit temporary uses, like shared working spaces, workshops, cultural and artistic venues, markets and sporting events… Opening the gates and making these spaces available to interested citizens will immediately create a burgeoning community and stop the urban decay of an otherwise expecting place, generating some revenue in the meantime.

Further along the road, once investors appear, projects are made and approved and building licences are obtained, starts the second phase of this vision, one that will refurbish and build over 50 000sqm of residential, commercial and working spaces, consolidating a new hub in the City.