Dom Pedro Complex | FGMF Arquitetos

A few years ago we were invited to carry out the projects of the Dom Pedro complex, two complete clubs, with accesses and external areas for sports and leisure. The architecture should propose a unique identity, but independently propose organizations of flows, spaces and dimensions and relations with views and surroundings, almost like two projects in one.

After several studies, we decided to start with the external areas - we organized the space of blocks, fields, playgrounds, swimming pools and accesses and we anticipated the most suitable spaces for each building of headquarters. As a starting point for constructions, we start with a simple assumption - We adopt a kind of "volumetric unit" from a decribing of the original program. With this programmatic reduction we obtained a clarity of sectorization of each important area of ​​the building - changing rooms, gym, hall, party hall, services, access and so on.

Each of these units of the program was organized in relation to its best location in each of the buildings and their relations with external spaces and internal flows. For each unit we create a volume that varies in dimensions and heights, but always follows the rule of having two faces open one for the main access and another for the pools and views. We then interweave the volumes and create continuous constructions. This entanglement hierarchizes the sectorization of the program, allowing the identification of each area at a distance, while creating a quasi-sculptural volumetry that creates different and interesting visuals for the user that is in different places of the complex.

The internal walls, perhaps necessary, were retracted from the main unit volume and covered with wood preserving the main volume. All volumes received integral cementitious coating - floor, walls, ceilings. However we look for three slight variations of ashes between these coatings to emphasize the independence between the function of each space.

As a base for each construction, retaining walls were used in apparent stone gabions, usually used in the construction of infrastructure as a contrast to the purity of the volumes above. These volumes are retreated or rocked over these restraints, leaning toward the view or the pools.

The overall result of the project was that of a unique and strong party for the two buildings of the complex resulting in almost sculptural volumetrics. Despite the clear relationship between constructions and equal parties, each has a unique character and very close relations with the external program and the surrounding nature.