This project confronts an extraordinary architectural challenge at the heart of Loulé’s dense historic core. The rare coexistence of two nationally significant heritage assets, a unique 12th century Islamic Hammam (the only one documented in Portugal and among the most complete in the Iberian Peninsula), and the exceptional 15th century Manor house, demanded a rigorous, multidisciplinary methodology from the outset.

The intervention was shaped by the municipality’s ambitious vision: to display a hidden and fragmented past into a vibrant cultural landmark. The architectural strategy was grounded in an ethical commitment to value archaeological evidence in situ as physical memory, preserving these rare historical strata with precision and integrity.

Guided by a philosophy of minimal intervention, the project undertook a careful “stitching” of two distinct historical layers, allowing each era to speak clearly without overshadowing the other. This approach to a new public cultural facility, required the introduction of a highly specialized 21st century layer and the definition of structural “sacrifice zones” to enable innovative solutions. Notable among these are the supporting systems for the false vaults over the three essential hammam chambers (cold, warm, and hot water rooms) and the meticulous preservation of the Manor House’s historic columns, all informed by an exhaustive archaeological mapping process.

What was once a ruin has been transformed into a cohesive, fluid museological experience. The project demonstrates how adaptive reuse and resilient design can illuminate, rather than obscure, the sociocultural depth of a site. This intervention led to its formal classification as a National Monument and earned the National Urban Rehabilitation Award, establishing the ensemble as a cultural hub for the local community and for visitors seeking to explore the Islamic and medieval heritage of this historic city.