Viaggi di Architettura
Architectureeverywhere
Lisbon is rapidly becoming one of the Design Capitals of the world. The city is moving at a furious pace with a calendar of international events, the opening of new exhibition spaces and design hotels. Lisbon is a young, vibrant city with a series of creative women like Guta Moura Guedes, director of ExperimentaDesign 09, international biennale of contemporary design or Barbara Coutinho, curator of the new design and fasion museum MuDE, situated in the Baixa and a must for all fashion victims with exhibits and events on the history and future of international design of all aspects.
The metamorphosis is concentrated around the port and ex-industrial area of Alcantara, a total restyling with a mix of public and private projects for a new capital. Start your visit with the industrial archeology of the LX studio, an entire street of former warehouses transformed into atelier, lofts, lounge bars and alternative shops. Don't miss the Orient Museum, ex-warehouse for the stockage of codfish transformed into an extraordinary space for a collection of oriental art and artefacts by the architect Luis Carillo da Graça, and the Santos Design District, dozens of interesting shops, indipendent designers and boutiques.
The nightlife is all happening around the Docas: a real hub for nightlife and music from jazz to blues, from latino to house, and proof that Lisbon can be proudly compared to that of London or Madrid. Try dinner at the Bica do Sapado and an after dinner drink at the Fàbrica do Braço De Prata, a literary - lounge concept bar that often have live music. You may want to move on the historic club LUX if you are feel like dancing till dawn.
Several hotels have just opened for design hospitality, try the Fontana Park by Aires Mateus (and while you are there don't miss the University Rectory by the same architect) or the ultra contemporary Altis Belém, on the bank of the Tagus by Salgado's firm. A valid low cost alternative is the Shiado Hostel, an inexpensive Portughese-Italian run guesthouse in the multiethnic Chiado neighbourhood.
Mikaela Bandini of ArchitectureEverywhere, Italian based tour operator specialised in architecture and design tours was recently in Lisbon scouting for Rai 1. See the first part of the programme here.
Day 1
- Baixa and Castle de Sao Jorge, Lisbon - photo Giacomo Pauluzzo
Arrive at da Portela airport and private coach transfer to hotel in the centre of town passing the Josè de Alvalade Stadium (2004, Ribeiro/Taveira) and Luz Stadium (HOK sport /AAR Q-Atelier de Arquitectura), both built for the EURO 2004 soccer championship. Arrive at hotel and check in. Departure with the underground for the Parque das Naçöes (area built for the 1998 Expo) passing by some of the underground stations adorned by works of contemporary Portuguese artists and architects for the Art in the Metro project, 1998. Arrive at the Gare do Oriente (Calatrava, 1998) and proceed on foot to the Vasco da Gama shopping centre (Josè Quintela da Fonseca/ Building Design Partnership). Free time for lunch and walking tour of the area and of the most significant buildings opened in '98 like the Vasco da Gama Tower (Leonor Janeiro, Nick Jacobs/ SOM ), Vasco da Gama bridge (Virlogeu), the Atlantic Pavilion (Regino Cruz/ SOM), Portuguese Pavilion (Siza), Pavilion of the Seas (Carrilho da Graça), Oceanarium (Peter Charmayev, Cambridge Seven), several residential buildings (Aires Mateus, Troufa Real etc).
Return to the hotel, dinner.
Day 2
- Estacao do oriente - photo Viviana Lunelli
Breakfast buffet at the hotel. Full day city tour covering several aspects of the history of architecture in Lisbon starting with the new Museum of Orient, renovated by Carrilho da Graça, the Parque Eduardo VII (Ribeiro Telles), Jeronimos Monastery (XVI century in Manueline style), Belem Cultural Centre (Vittorio Gregotti and Manuel Salgado, 1993), Maritime Control Tower (Gonçalo Byrne, 2001), Belèm Tower (on the Unesco Heritage list). Proceed to the Rectory of the Universidade Nova de Lisboa (Aires Mateus, 2006), Dormitory Universidade Nova de Lisboa (Tahina, 1997).
Transfer to the Chiado area passing by the Amoreiras shopping centre (Taveira, 1987) and the Banco Nacional Ultramarino (Taveira). Lunch in the Chiado and walk around the area rebuilt after it was razed by a fire in 1988 (masterplan Siza). Visit the Chiado Museum of Contemporary Art (Pinto, 1994), residential and retail building (Gonçalo Byrne), underground station (Siza, 1992). The walk continues through the narrow streets of the multicultural Alfama neighbourhood, free time for dinner and drinks in the trendy Barrio Alto. Return to hotel on own.
Day 3
- Moon landscape, Porto - photo Giovanna Zinghi
Breakfast buffet at hotel and departure for Aveiro (about 300 km from Lisbon).
Arrive on the Campus in late morning and tour of the site built on Siza’s masterplan that contains the following buildings, mostly completed in 1994: University Library and water tower (Siza), Rectory (Gonçalo Byrne), Sports Complex (Almeida, Carvalho), Faculty of Chemistry (Soutinho), Department of Glass and Ceramics (Soutinho), Faculty of Geology (Souto de Moura), Faculty of Engineering and student housing (Dias).
Free time for lunch on the Campus and in the afternoon transfer to Porto (about half an hour). Arrive at the Serralves Foundation, currently the Museum of Contemporary Art (extension and gardens by Siza, 1999). Visit the building, collection and exhibitions. Transfer to the hotel and check in. Dinner on own.
Day 4
- Casa da Musica, Porto - photo Viviana Lunelli
Breakfast buffet at the hotel. Full day tour including the Faculty of Architecture (Siza, 1984), Casa da Musica (Koolhaas/OMA, 2006), private house (Manuel de Oliveira, 1998), private house in Rua do Teatro (Souto de Moura, 1998), waterfront (Sola Morales, 2002), SEC Cultural Centre (Souto de Moura, 1991), Transport Museum and Customs office (Souto de Moura, 1994), Garret Library (Manuel Soares, 2001).
Departure for Leça da Palmeira (13 km), lunch at Boa Nova restaurant (Siza, 1963) and visit to the tidal pools and change rooms (Siza, 1966) and the Quinta da Conceiço (Tavora/Siza, 1958).Return to hotel in Porto, dinner and free time.
Day 5
- Over the rainbow, Coimbra - photo Andrea Perletti
Breakfast buffet at the hotel and departure for Braga (about 60km) to visit the following buildings: Marco de Canavez Church (Siza, 1990), new Braga Stadium (Souto de Moura, 2004), lunch at the Pousada S. Maria do Bouro (restored by Souto de Moura, 1998).
Departure for Guimaräes, on the Unesco World Heritage list (22 km), lunch in the centre of town and visit to the Pousada di Santa Marinha (XII century, extension and restoration by Fernando Tavora for which he won the National Architecture Prize in 1985). Departure for Lisbon airport and in late evening outbound flight.
