Castêlo da Maia Collective Housing

On the facade level, we went for a composition that would bring coherence between social and more intimate areas. Although they have very different uses and are a natural consequence of the internal configuration of the apartments, this composition creates a harmonious view of the apartment complex. The typologies are fairly evenly distributed around two main standard modules with a left/right distribution: the T2/T3 module and the T1/T4 module with the same metric. This structural logic allows the typologies to be combined, overlapped or modified. The apartments also have two opposite fronts, which allows us to guarantee cross-ventilation and improved general health conditions.

In terms of infrastructure, the decision to locate the sanitary facilities in a central block allows for rational layouts and versatility for eventual transformations. We opted for a standard module that adapts to all typologies. This allows for both horizontal and vertical articulation. It can also reflect buildings for optimum solar gain. This homogeneity and conceptual coherence accompanies the entire logic of the project. It guarantees cohesion when reading the elevations. By placing the structural elements on the outside of the volume and with a circular cross section, the façade achieves the harmony we were looking for and emphasises the horizontal reading between the floors.

The panels used in the collective housing project are made of prefabricated concrete elements, produced in series and assembled on-site. Their repeated use in the building guarantees the constructive rationality and financial feasibility of the project. They are also materials that age well, which reduces the cost of maintenance and contributes to the longevity and sustainability of the residential complex.

On the facade level, we went for a composition that would bring coherence between social and more intimate areas. Although they have very different uses and are a natural consequence of the internal configuration of the apartments, this composition creates a harmonious view of the apartment complex. The typologies are fairly evenly distributed around two main standard modules with a left/right distribution: the T2/T3 module and the T1/T4 module with the same metric. This structural logic allows the typologies to be combined, overlapped or modified. The apartments also have two opposite fronts, which allows us to guarantee cross-ventilation and improved general health conditions.

In terms of infrastructure, the decision to locate the sanitary facilities in a central block allows for rational layouts and versatility for eventual transformations. We opted for a standard module that adapts to all typologies. This allows for both horizontal and vertical articulation. It can also reflect buildings for optimum solar gain. This homogeneity and conceptual coherence accompanies the entire logic of the project. It guarantees cohesion when reading the elevations. By placing the structural elements on the outside of the volume and with a circular cross section, the façade achieves the harmony we were looking for and emphasises the horizontal reading between the floors.

The panels used in the collective housing project are made of prefabricated concrete elements, produced in series and assembled on-site. Their repeated use in the building guarantees the constructive rationality and financial feasibility of the project. They are also materials that age well, which reduces the cost of maintenance and contributes to the longevity and sustainability of the residential complex.

The year we opened our studio, we took part in a public competition organised by IHRU. We were asked to design an affordable collective housing project with an urban landscape in Castêlo da Maia. To meet this challenge, we invited Pura, an architecture studio, to join us in developing the project, making good use of the collective in IM Collective. A few months later, we were delighted to find out that our proposal had come second in the competition.

From an early stage in the project, we realised that the Castêlo da Maia development had to be integrated into the existing urban fabric. To achieve this, we established volumetric relationships with the buildings already constructed. We aimed for continuity, taking note of the flow of pedestrians and vehicles that surround the site while promoting a sense of togetherness in the public space. The Urban Park emerges as this connecting element that brings together new buildings and existing ones, encouraging proximity through walkable paths, leisure areas and local shops. From a programmatic point of view, we placed the retail spaces on the ground floors of each block, as well as in strategic locations: in direct contact with the public park or at the entrances to the building, where there is a constant flow of people.

One of our concerns in this project was to ensure that the building was open to a diversity of uses. Principles such as the repetition of elements and the adoption of a design metric in plan and elevation allowed us to find the versatility and flexibility we were looking for.

The year we opened our studio, we took part in a public competition organised by IHRU. We were asked to design an affordable collective housing project with an urban landscape in Castêlo da Maia. To meet this challenge, we invited Pura, an architecture studio, to join us in developing the project, making good use of the collective in IM Collective. A few months later, we were delighted to find out that our proposal had come second in the competition.

From an early stage in the project, we realised that the Castêlo da Maia development had to be integrated into the existing urban fabric. To achieve this, we established volumetric relationships with the buildings already constructed. We aimed for continuity, taking note of the flow of pedestrians and vehicles that surround the site while promoting a sense of togetherness in the public space. The Urban Park emerges as this connecting element that brings together new buildings and existing ones, encouraging proximity through walkable paths, leisure areas and local shops. From a programmatic point of view, we placed the retail spaces on the ground floors of each block, as well as in strategic locations: in direct contact with the public park or at the entrances to the building, where there is a constant flow of people.

One of our concerns in this project was to ensure that the building was open to a diversity of uses. Principles such as the repetition of elements and the adoption of a design metric in plan and elevation allowed us to find the versatility and flexibility we were looking for.