School Canopy in Santarém | extrastudio

Romeira is a small, unspoilt village located 100 kilometres north of Lisbon. Although there has been economic growth in the region (several companies have moved their main production centres here), the population of Romeira has remained stagnant in recent years. In part to counteract this, the municipality held a design competition for the upgrade of its primary school and kindergarten, which included the design of a canopy to provide a shelter for both.

After visiting the site our main concern was how to enhance the public character of the school and give coherence to this small conglomerate of buildings; each built in different decades within tight budgets.

Going against the competition rules, which defined the canopy’s location between the two existing buildings, we decided instead to place it near the school’s entrance. With this gesture the canopy connects the buildings to each other and also to the street, extending the covered area to the outside and reinforcing the school’s presence in the village.

The top face of the canopy is covered with an asphalt membrane, coated with marble dust, which echoes the white church cupola across the street and grants a discreet presence to the structure. Its underside, visible only from the playgrounds, is covered with glossy enamel paint in gradated shades from pinkish red hues to sunny yellow.

Credits

Location: Romeira, Portugal

Program: Extension of an elementary school and kindergarden, 1st prize on invited competition with Oficina dos Jardins

Year: phase I (2008-2010), phase II (2015-2016)

Client: Santarém Municipality

Architecture: João Caldeira Ferrão, João Costa Ribeiro, Andreia Teixeira, Filipa Ferreira, Maria João Oliveira, Tiago Pinhal

Landscape Architecture: Oficina dos Jardins lda

Consultants: PRPC Engenheiros lda (structural engineering, plumbing), Energia Técnica lda (electrical, telecomunications and safety)

Construction: Fialho e Paulo lda

Photography: João Morgado