The architects note that their strategy recreated and
reinterpreted some of the most expressive features of
Jewish architecture still present in the medieval urban
fabric of the province of Beira dating up to the Inquisition
of the 16th century. The architectural features of this newly
emerging historical style of architecture from the Jewish
culture that existed in Portugal consists of elements such
as a lack of symmetry in the façades of buildings, the
absence of an aspect ratio in the openings (doors and
windows), building façades built from the inside to the
outside, the existence of secret doors between buildings
allowing for inner circulation and worship in total secrecy.
The presence of stone is important as the irregular granite
slab stereotomy and tiny fenestrations define the elevation
towards the two confining streets and adjacent traditional
building facades. The building with its locally sourced
granite’s color and texture is integrated smoothly with the
historic castle and urban environment surrounded by walls.
The building’s usage of granite cladding with their polished
surfaces visually reflects the façades of local buildings on its
exterior surface while the materiality of the stone slab layer
also provides passive insulation.
The application of granite slab cladding on the reinforced
concrete frame filled with brick, gives the impression
that this entire building is made a large stone block.
of
İKİ DAR SOKAĞIN
BİRLEŞTİĞİ
NOKTADA YER
ALAN KÜLTÜR
MERKEZİ,
GELENEKSEL
DOKU İÇERİSİNDE
MODERN BİR
YAPI OLARAK
VAR OLABİLMEYİ
BAŞARIYOR.
THE CULTURAL
CENTER
PROMINENTLY
APPEARS ON THE
INTERSECTION
OF TWO NARROW
STREETS BUT STILL
MANAGES TO BE
A PART OF THE
TRADITIONAL
URBAN FABRIC
WITH ITS MODERN
DESIGN.
MART - NİSAN 2014 / MARCH - APRIL 2014 • NATURA 85