Hotel Palácio dos Ferrazes
Hospitality
Porto, PT - 2015
6950 m2
Completed
Located at Rua das Flores, a street in the historic center of Oporto, the project consists of a meticulous architectural restoration of the Ferrazes Bravo Palace, combined with a back extension, converting the complex into a modern 5-star hotel. The rehabilitation and reconversion project of the historic building from the16th century, referenced by its values, had as premise the recovery and maintenance of the spaces and elements identified as such, respecting the identity, in order to integrate the project, valuing it.
The plot area, about 1500 m2, comprises two buildings of distinct architectural character, located at the opposite ends of the lot, with a difference in height between those above 20 m. On the lowest level, corresponding to Rua das Flores, the Ferrazes Bravo Palace, and on the highest level, on Rua da Vitória, a construction from the mid-20th century, devoid of architectural interest. The difference in elevation and lack of relationship between the two existing buildings, and of these with the empty space between them, resulted in a small patio without any interest.
The challenge of the project was to establish new relationships between these three distinct “entities”, giving them an overall reading, in order to create a Place, which is achieved through the different connections between both, namely, the new garden with chapel existing, which serves as a patella, between the Palace and the new building, a body south of the garden, where a program is established, access connections between the different floors, and a buried gallery of public access to the new building through the palace, occasionally illuminated through the garden's water mirror at the upper level. The two elevations of the new building establish different relations with the surroundings. The main one, oriented on Rua das Flores, has a significant scale with eight floors, visible from several distant points of the landscape of the historic area of Oporto, resolved by a clear design that promotes integration with the surroundings, namely, by division of the elevation into three volumes, the first of which constitutes a granite base related to the garden and palace. The elevation over Rua da Vitória, where the Hotel's service accesses are also located, has only two floors, with a discreet integration, similar to the adjoining buildings.
The use of granite, a predominant material in the city and in the building, establishes a determining role in the dialogue between buildings and the street, through its use in the interior and exterior floors and walls, where the recovery and replacement of several existing elements is combined with the application of this material in the new spaces, establishing a guiding thread that allows interconnecting the materiality of the different interventions.
6950 m2
Porto, -
6950 m2
Completed
Located at Rua das Flores, a street in the historic center of Oporto, the project consists of a meticulous architectural restoration of the Ferrazes Bravo Palace, combined with a back extension, converting the complex into a modern 5-star hotel. The rehabilitation and reconversion project of the historic building from the16th century, referenced by its values, had as premise the recovery and maintenance of the spaces and elements identified as such, respecting the identity, in order to integrate the project, valuing it.
The plot area, about 1500 m2, comprises two buildings of distinct architectural character, located at the opposite ends of the lot, with a difference in height between those above 20 m. On the lowest level, corresponding to Rua das Flores, the Ferrazes Bravo Palace, and on the highest level, on Rua da Vitória, a construction from the mid-20th century, devoid of architectural interest. The difference in elevation and lack of relationship between the two existing buildings, and of these with the empty space between them, resulted in a small patio without any interest.
The challenge of the project was to establish new relationships between these three distinct “entities”, giving them an overall reading, in order to create a Place, which is achieved through the different connections between both, namely, the new garden with chapel existing, which serves as a patella, between the Palace and the new building, a body south of the garden, where a program is established, access connections between the different floors, and a buried gallery of public access to the new building through the palace, occasionally illuminated through the garden's water mirror at the upper level. The two elevations of the new building establish different relations with the surroundings. The main one, oriented on Rua das Flores, has a significant scale with eight floors, visible from several distant points of the landscape of the historic area of Oporto, resolved by a clear design that promotes integration with the surroundings, namely, by division of the elevation into three volumes, the first of which constitutes a granite base related to the garden and palace. The elevation over Rua da Vitória, where the Hotel's service accesses are also located, has only two floors, with a discreet integration, similar to the adjoining buildings.
The use of granite, a predominant material in the city and in the building, establishes a determining role in the dialogue between buildings and the street, through its use in the interior and exterior floors and walls, where the recovery and replacement of several existing elements is combined with the application of this material in the new spaces, establishing a guiding thread that allows interconnecting the materiality of the different interventions.