Historic Building Rehabilitation in Porto

Porto, Portugal

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Historic Building Rehabilitation in Porto

Porto, Portugal

Firm

Utopia - Arquitectura e Engenharia Lda

Type

Government + Health › Fire/Police/Military

STATUS

Built

YEAR

2021

SIZE

0 sqft - 1000 sqft

BUDGET

$500K - 1M

Competition

The former building of the Parish Council of Cedofeita was rented by the Ministry of Internal Administration. The M.A.I. it needed to install the PSP police station in Porto and, accordingly, it launched a public competition to obtain the best proposal.

The existing building

The existing building had serious structural pathologies resulting from some poorly designed previous interventions. It presented severe cracking in the granite masonry and deformation of the reinforced concrete elements. The building is classified as it was designed by the architect Júlio de Brito, author of works such as the Coliseu do Porto or the Tivoli theatre.

The architectural project rehabilitation strategy

The architectural project seeks to restore all the building's heritage elements and ensure that the spirit of the original design is maintained, adapting it to current comfort needs. A basement was created and seismic protection and fire fighting, both essential in these buildings, were reinforced.

The Importance of Flexibility of Use

Special emphasis was given by the designers to the issue of flexibility. The former administrative use is now adapted for operational use by PSP law enforcement officers. When architecture is taken care of, buildings have a longer life than the uses they support. This intervention seeks to accentuate this strategy, preparing the building for future flexibility needs that may prove necessary. This aspect is particularly important in public buildings.

Rehabilitation

The recovery of historic buildings thus follows work methodologies that, on the one hand, safeguard the architectural historical heritage, but on the other hand, keep the buildings functional and useful today.

More information can be found on the website of the architects of Utopia that presents the Rehabilitation of this Historic Building in Porto, Portugal.