Reconversion of the Robinson Factory and Space

The removal of the Robinson Cork Factory to the new Portalegre Industrial Complex will free up some 60,000 square metres of land in a major development area of the town, as also a significant built-up area, consisting, mainly, of warehouses and buildings housing technical facilities, beside the main building which defines its front. Included in a complex set of measures to reign in the dispersal of its outskirts, Portalegre’s Council has, together with the parties forming the Robinson Foundation, undertaken a programme for the regeneration of the old factory’s premises; in addition to recovering its historical ties to the town, this aims at re-defining the purposes to which the different buildings are implanted and recover its industrial heritage. Preserving historical memory through its buildings means nurturing the landmarks of identity of a town which does not wish to see its role cancelled in the larger context of the country - by adapting them to different uses, the buildings which hold the past throw open new settings in a centuries-old town which wishes to be open to the future. Nowadays, however, the notion of heritage has been broadened, starting with early history remains and including twentieth century buildings, also covering the sites of historical and environmental value, from more or less erudite vernacular through to industrial architecture. It is, therefore, necessary to intervene in the sites handed down by the industrial heritage, as utilitarian structures of the century. This concept is embedded in a process of regeneration which follows the trend towards recovering industrial sites, widespread in Europe and the US over the past years. Our proposal takes as its inspiration one of the best contemporary examples of the rehabilitation of an industrial unit – the make-over of the Pompeia Factory in São Paulo carried out in 1977 by the architect, Lina Bo Bardi. This is one of the most resounding successes of the regeneration - and enthusiasm with which visitors greet it - of a large area of this nature in a major city.. The architecture carried out there bore human behaviour in mind, projecting into and interfering in spaces, creating contexts and activity grounded on the interaction among the most varied street users – a fundamental urban element. The plan defines its strategy with the opening of a new “urban promenade” and by creating elements such as squares, paved areas and equipment allowing for the articulation of the Robinson buildings with the existing urban fabric, physically marked by the rip of the façade that corresponds to the opening to the street. A new configuration with the surroundings is set up by the strategic implanting of the new Catering School which will contribute for the clear definition of the “urban promenade”. From this promenade, and through the spaces between the buildings, there will be a magnificent view into the distance towards the south, after the creation of a foreground of urban façade, which, together with the stand of trees proposed for the space between the façade and the Catering School, block out the less interesting and closer view towards the south-east. In terms of volume the new combines with the existent, their contemporary materialization sets out to be decisive. Towards the definition of the intervention’s potential, we propose to build an urban façade at the very south of the plot of land, which will include residential buildings, shops and equipment. A green area would be defined, the City Park would promote continuity with the main axes structuring the town, and, through discontinuity, would promote articulation and landscape framing of the new, scattered and large-scale fragments located in the south-eastern part of town. This metropolitan scale void would therefore be converted into an open daily space to cultural an artistic initiatives where visitors and artists would share and participate on an open debate. [POR] A nossa proposta parte de um dos melhores exemplos contemporâneos de reabilitação de uma unidade industrial - a transformação da Fábrica Pompéia, em S. Paulo, pela arquitecta Lina Bo Bardi em 1977. Entende-se que conservar a memória histórica através do património é alimentar os sinais de identidade de uma cidade que não quer ver anulado o seu papel no panorama do país. O Plano define então a sua estratégia, protagonizada pela abertura de um novo arruamento com a introdução de praças, passeios e equipamentos, permitindo a articulação entre os edifícios da Fábrica Robinson e o tecido urbano existente, marcado fisicamente pelo rasgamento na fachada correspondente à abertura da rua. Nesta primeira decisão do plano ficará estabelecido um modelo de ocupação destinado a garantir a sobrevivência da implantação original em coabitação com as sucessivas e necessárias ampliações que se irão levar a cabo, partindo de um princípio aditivo que ordena todo o conjunto industrial. Este, formado pelos edifícios já dispostos ao longo de uma espécie de caminho, configura agora uma nova relação com a envolvente mediante o seu cuidado desenho e a implantação estratégica dos novos edifícios da Escola de Hotelaria e Auditório, que contribuirá para a definição clara de uma rua entendida na sua forma urbana. Colaborators Ana Neto Vieira, Nuno Miguel Ferreira, Telmo Gervásio Gomes, Ricardo Cardoso, Pedro Gama, Hugo Natário, Inês Ruas, Rita Breda, Luís Diniz, Nuno Vasconcelos, Ana P. Carvalho, Ana L. Monteiro, João Marques, Maurícia Bento, Elisama Reis Escola de Hotelaria e Turismo/Hotel and Catering School Ano de projecto/Project Year: 2004 Ano de obra/Construction Year: 2007 Construtor/Builder: MRG – Engenharia e Construção, S.A. ICTVR, Auditório para as Associações Culturais (Auditório B) e Auditório da Escola de Hotelaria e Turismo (Auditório A)/ICTVR, Auditoirum B and Auditorum A Ano de projecto/Project Year: 2007 Ano de obra/Construction Year: (em construção/under construction) Construtor/Builder: ACF – Arlindo Correia & Filhos, S.A. Estacionamento/Parking Ano de projecto/Project Year: 2009 Ano de obra/Construction Year: 2011 Construtor/Builder: ZUCOTEC – Sociedade de Construções Unipessoal, Lda Associações Culturais/Cultural Associations Ano de projecto/Project Year: 2009