Extract from the Group C Descriptive Report (General Plan)

Extract from the Group C Descriptive Report (General Plan)

In February 1960, Group C – one of the three teams invited to the competition (in addition to Group A and B), made up of architects Arnaldo Araújo, Frederico Jorge, and Manuel Laginha – presented its proposal for the headquarters and museum of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation.

Extract from the Descriptive Report presented by the architects of Group C:

“The “PARK” (a set of open spaces) was interpreted more qualitatively than quantitatively, that is, it should not be destroyed by an extensive occupation of buildings, nor be a concentrated mass of buildings or of great height. (…). Perhaps the connection of architecture and the open-air areas would take place more or less everywhere, and that the whole set be an involvement, that is, that it lives by itself, with interiority and intimacy, enjoying its gardens and defending itself from adverse urban and natural conditions. Hence the “scale” and the “occupation”. (…) a) the phytosanitary state and b) the esthetic value of the planting in Santa Gertrudes Park were considered. Its mix has led us to conclude that the southern half of the park would be preserved as much as possible. (…) We do not want the park to be the construction of a larger number of square metres, but a general tone of appropriate architecture, both in scale and movement. The solution we propose cuts the free space into more or less connected parts and assigns each one its own character, according to the function and shape of the buildings that define it.”

Production date: 1960
Designers (main authors): ARAÚJO, Arnaldo, JORGE, Frederico, LAGINHA, Manuel
Project phase: Do concurso ao anteprojeto