2017 - SERRA DA ESTRELA(*)
Wining competition - 3rd Prize
Portugal
Wining competition - 3rd Prize
Portugal
masterplan - images courtesy of lequang-architect
Year 2016
Location Serra Da Estrela, Portugal
Context International Competition
Area - - sqm
Program Inspiration hotel & Contemporary Art Galleries
Team Le Quang
Status wining competition - 3rd Prize
Location Serra Da Estrela, Portugal
Context International Competition
Area - - sqm
Program Inspiration hotel & Contemporary Art Galleries
Team Le Quang
Status wining competition - 3rd Prize
Intro
Serra da Estrela is located in the east central part of Portugal within the boundaries of the Parque Natural da Serra da Estrela (85 000 hectares). Serra da Estrela has the highest summit at 1993 m of mainland Portugal and is part of the Central Range (Cordilheira Central) of the Iberian Peninsula. The mountains consist mainly of granite rock in its central part and schists along its periphery. The extensive plateaus delimited by abrupt slopes, rivers, streams, water springs and lakes are striking elements in the landscape of the Serra.
The Ice Age left astonishing landscape formations within the Serra da Estrela. Glacier valleys, rocks with polished surfaces, moraines, boulders, cirques, lakes and wetland meadows are landscape traces of the glacial erosional landforms. The region of the Natural Park of Serra da Estrela is characterized by a secular human intervention dominated by shepherds and farmers, where herding and cheese making are prevalent. Pastoral grazing is one of the activities with a long tradition and practice of land use that influenced the evolution of the flora and fauna characteristics within the region. Serra da Estrela is an area of rare landscape beauty with a remarkable scenery and spectacular mountainous backdrop, where the visitor can have a deep and meaningful experience with nature. |
site photo_Serra da Estrela |
Thermal Inspiration Hotel
Dramatic landscape
Dramatic landscape has created from the sudden change of the natural elements. It could be a sudden change in length, depth or a sudden change of materials such as water, rock, negative and positive... People from time to time immemorial fascinated inherently by these factors, in the most beautiful dreams, people have dreamed of dramatic changes and utopia illusion.
We approached this projects based on the concerns about water, stone and humans on the land. The granite cliffs sliding down to the calm water's edge has aroused first imagination about a secret valley which is surrounded by water and stone - the existing nature elements.
The Cliff - "The Ring"
The proposal is creating an artificial landscape dramatically through a "ring" carved into water and stone, this "ring" will connect all the elements of nature to human. So a granite cliff will be formed and it will go deeply into the water.
Thermal water is the copious resource of the site area, so the idea is creating a Thermal Hotel which is based from all the dynamic natural elements. We tried to create a space "INSIDE". The entire building is nestled in the cliffs and in the water, interwoven factors but they will become dramatic in some intersection part and within the hearts of the elements. Thereby we get a clear separation between the inside and outside, above and below, calm and rough, between water, rock, human and sky. This small cliff will create a lot of inspiration for the visitors and artists in term of ambient and the feeling by all senses.
Dramatic landscape
Dramatic landscape has created from the sudden change of the natural elements. It could be a sudden change in length, depth or a sudden change of materials such as water, rock, negative and positive... People from time to time immemorial fascinated inherently by these factors, in the most beautiful dreams, people have dreamed of dramatic changes and utopia illusion.
We approached this projects based on the concerns about water, stone and humans on the land. The granite cliffs sliding down to the calm water's edge has aroused first imagination about a secret valley which is surrounded by water and stone - the existing nature elements.
The Cliff - "The Ring"
The proposal is creating an artificial landscape dramatically through a "ring" carved into water and stone, this "ring" will connect all the elements of nature to human. So a granite cliff will be formed and it will go deeply into the water.
Thermal water is the copious resource of the site area, so the idea is creating a Thermal Hotel which is based from all the dynamic natural elements. We tried to create a space "INSIDE". The entire building is nestled in the cliffs and in the water, interwoven factors but they will become dramatic in some intersection part and within the hearts of the elements. Thereby we get a clear separation between the inside and outside, above and below, calm and rough, between water, rock, human and sky. This small cliff will create a lot of inspiration for the visitors and artists in term of ambient and the feeling by all senses.
site plan
INSPIRATION IMAGES - LAGOA COMPRIDA
Not many people know about the lake with a hole in it up in this site location. The Dam of Conchos ( Barragem do Covão dos Conchos) is made of concrete and granite and it looks as if the hole was slowly draining the water of the lake. Which, in a way, it really does. The water of the river Neve goes down the hole and through a 1519 m long tunnel it takes it to the Lagoa Comprida. It is an amazing manmade construction with a beautiful natural sight. ABSTRACT
Lagoa Comprida’s glacial erosional landscape has remained since its origins in a high point of Serra da Estrela, a place that has been only drawn by its rocks and water. No human activity far from the dam has ever taken place among its valleys, and a hikers path is currently the only way to get in direct contact with its nature. The Thermal Hotel proposal embrace that nature, using only its water and concrete -no longer than men tamed rock. It is a minimum presence volume emerging from the rocks, between the original path and the lakeside, where light joins materials to shape its interiors. |
Lagoa Comprida |
DESIGN STATEMENT
The proposal gets divided in two by the approaching path, a point that performs the transition from dramatic landscape to human scale. Then appears at one side dry stays for artist’s working and visitors resting after enjoying the other side: the baths; a descending enclosed space only penetrated by light, that offers an aperture on its lowest point, with a subtle separation from the rocks where it was born. The intersection of the human’s structure and nature structure here can be highlighted as the most contrast artworks. The ramp going down and deeply into water that makes the visitor understanding the lake, creating a direct inside- outside relation when the it offers one of its walls to create an unique outdoor pool diffused with boulders.
The proposal gets divided in two by the approaching path, a point that performs the transition from dramatic landscape to human scale. Then appears at one side dry stays for artist’s working and visitors resting after enjoying the other side: the baths; a descending enclosed space only penetrated by light, that offers an aperture on its lowest point, with a subtle separation from the rocks where it was born. The intersection of the human’s structure and nature structure here can be highlighted as the most contrast artworks. The ramp going down and deeply into water that makes the visitor understanding the lake, creating a direct inside- outside relation when the it offers one of its walls to create an unique outdoor pool diffused with boulders.
General view - images courtesy of Lequang-architect
View from Thermal Baths - images courtesy of lequang-architect
PLAN
PUBLIC SPACE & ARTIST’S AREAS
After taking hiking tour from the driveway, Visitors can catch “The Ring” – a ramp ( gradient 1/12) for going down to the entrance of Inspiration Thermal Hotel. The Ramp and its structure was made by concrete and leading people smoothly to inside of all nature features .
Not only providing the space and experience for the Artists , the hotel will provide the service area for the common visitors in order to make them going more closely with to the Arts with the appreciation.
The boundaries between public spaces and private spaces become sensitive but we still keep the best quality of working ambience for the Artists in their Studios. There are two categories of Studios: - the flexible Studio which is more open and collaborative workshop; The other one is the closed Studios , this spaces provide a silence ambience and more private .
PUBLIC SPACE & ARTIST’S AREAS
After taking hiking tour from the driveway, Visitors can catch “The Ring” – a ramp ( gradient 1/12) for going down to the entrance of Inspiration Thermal Hotel. The Ramp and its structure was made by concrete and leading people smoothly to inside of all nature features .
Not only providing the space and experience for the Artists , the hotel will provide the service area for the common visitors in order to make them going more closely with to the Arts with the appreciation.
The boundaries between public spaces and private spaces become sensitive but we still keep the best quality of working ambience for the Artists in their Studios. There are two categories of Studios: - the flexible Studio which is more open and collaborative workshop; The other one is the closed Studios , this spaces provide a silence ambience and more private .
plan§ion - images courtesy by lequang-architect
Outdoor - workshops - images courtesy of lequang-architect
THERMAL BATHS
Going deeper to the building, the Thermal Baths located very close to the Stone Cliffs and have a dramatic vision in the intersection between human works and nature creature . The Baths open to everyone and still keeping clear boundaries with all Studios but the Artists can be still aware about the signification of all surrounded natural elements .
Base on beauty of nature, the project also has a series of outdoor Studios which is very simple with the concrete structure in order to make the visual separation and shadow. The ramp going down to the entrance with alternative stone-system can work as a poetry hall and special space for experience before enter to the Lobby of the Hotel.
The rooftop of the building will be made by the grid structure and become outdoor thermal pool that creates the most interesting connection between all the element : natural lighting, natural ventilation, stone, water and human in the intersection between them.
Going deeper to the building, the Thermal Baths located very close to the Stone Cliffs and have a dramatic vision in the intersection between human works and nature creature . The Baths open to everyone and still keeping clear boundaries with all Studios but the Artists can be still aware about the signification of all surrounded natural elements .
Base on beauty of nature, the project also has a series of outdoor Studios which is very simple with the concrete structure in order to make the visual separation and shadow. The ramp going down to the entrance with alternative stone-system can work as a poetry hall and special space for experience before enter to the Lobby of the Hotel.
The rooftop of the building will be made by the grid structure and become outdoor thermal pool that creates the most interesting connection between all the element : natural lighting, natural ventilation, stone, water and human in the intersection between them.