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Lines of Torres Vedras Monument and Interpretation Centre

This is a project by Lema Barros + Castelo Branco, Arquitectos and it is located at Torres Vedras, Portugal. Project's program: Monument and interpretation centre. There are thirteen images for Lines of Torres Vedras Monument and Interpretation Centre.

: © Lema Barros + Castelo Branco, Arquitectos

Project details

Project name: Lines of Torres Vedras Monument and Interpretation Centre
Location: Torres Vedras, Portugal
Program: Monument and interpretation centre
Area: Built-up area: 1,500 m2
Client: CM Torres Vedras
Project by: Lema Barros + Castelo Branco, Arquitectos

Project images

Designer's statement

The Lines of Torres Vedras Monument and Interpretation Centre project is a tribute to the defensive war against the French invasions that occurred 200 years ago, which generated the creation of a strategic defensive structure the Lines of Torres Vedras.

Site:

This project is located in the small city of Torres Vedras, which has a comfortable feeling of village life. It is placed on a forgotten hill located in the north area, which was called the Forca Hill (monte da Forca). The place profits from a really beautiful view all around allowing to see the old and new roads that lead to town, the hills surrounding the valley where the city is located, the river on its way to the sea, the ancient S. Vicente fort, the old castle over a hill with the city at its feet. At the highest point of this hill exist vestiges of an ancient defensive structure (a redoubt) belonging to the Lines of Torres Vedras, which was built against the French Invasions. When starting the project, the site seemed forgotten and almost abandoned. Apart of many eucalyptus trees and some typical wasteland rubbish there existed also an illegal shack construction. Many times, when we see a beautiful site, a void, a forgotten ruin, we feel the will to doing something for those places. It was this feeling that inspired us to engage with this site. By the surrounding landscape and by the defensive structure itself, this work begun as an exercise for a possible architectural answer to that specific site, to the Lines of Torres theme as a memorial of past losses and battles won.

French invasions:

The Lines of Torres Vedras, were built during the Napoleonic wars. They were a defensive system constituted by several fortifications and other works over the natural land obstacles in order to protect the country capital – Lisbon - from the French army invasion. These fortifications have been secretly built by thousands of men and women, by the orders of the allied army general, Wellington. The three lines of Torres Vedras had redoubts, blockhoues, ravelins, cuts of natural relief and forts, strategically placed in the top of the hills, controlling the roads to Lisbon and using the natural obstacles of the land. The first line passed through Torres Vedras, in the northern and most advanced point of defence. (By this fact, the defensive Lines system is called the Lines of Torres Vedras.) In 1811, after an unsuccessful attack, the French general Massena and his army, settled down before the lines for 4 months. Finally, on March the 5th, the French army began its withdrawal. After this, the French troops would never again cross into Portuguese territory. The Lines of Torres Vedras became the turning point of the invasions, and influenced the outcome of the Napoleonic wars, until Napoleon abdication en 1814. With this war, the whole country was completely destroyed and the human cost was great for the population. It is estimated that hundreds of thousands have died. Because of the privations they endured, it is estimated that still after the retreat about fifty thousand Portuguese died of hunger or disease.

The project - Concept and exterior image:

Located on the top of the Forca hill, a higher point above the city, the site overlooks its daily life, the people’s movements and is permanently visible from below. For this, the concept expression of the monument is that of handful of heavy and threatening rocks in precarious balance and imminent danger of falling over the city. So we’ve started to experiment a composition of several identical heavy volumes, in artificial stone, with identical dimensions, in a random arrangement. A repetition of volumes which transmits an apparent harmony, but nevertheless, randomly arranged like a natural movement of falling rocks.

The project begun as an experimental composition of several identical heavy volumes, in artificial stone, with identical dimensions, placed in a random arrangement. A repetition of volumes which transmits an apparent harmony, but nevertheless, randomly arranged like a natural movement of falling rocks. This desired random image, is that of a collapse, of an avalanche, like the chaos of a war, as if the building wasn’t “man made”. We find the same randomness and irregularity in nature, like in a rock formation. Searching for the desired shape, we had to make use of project different tools, like Styrofoam model simulations and computer base models, as well as the omnipresent hand drawings. The final shape came to us with its single expression, for the volume located on the top of a hill, in constant dialog with the city and the observer below. Thus, we’re talking about a Monument…

In the proximity of the building, after climbing the hill, it was important that the height of this constructed mass would not crush the reading of the existing defensive structure, and at the same time that the visual contact with the other spots of the defensive grid would be preserved. Being so, the building is embedded in the slope, as if it had already begun its fall down the hill. The creation of a square mediates the relation between the building and the redoubt vestiges, as well as preserves the visual relation between the site, the S. Vicente fort and the Castle – the two other nearest defensive structures with which the redoubt had strategic visual connection. When in contact with the building itself, the visitor is impelled to roam through the spaces between the volumes, being able to touch them and feel the smooth surfaces and threatening sharp angles. From the square is defined the main access to the interior space, by tearing a stairway, through which one dives until entering under the heavy volumes of the building.

The project - Interiors:

We considered important to preserve the exterior randomness in the interior spaces, by creating a certain feeling of unfathomable potential for the future user. An interior space that would be of wonder and that can inspire some sense of insecurity and respect, a space of great drama. Even as the authors, we enter an unknown space as a first time visitor, inside which we will discover and mould into our home, shaping pre-existing space to our habits and these to the space. As if we were discovering the building; leaving space to the imponderable as long as we were moulding it. The floors were set by the intersection of 4 horizontal planes that, like blades cut the building “tout-court”, beginning in the terrace height definition, which strategically had to be accessible. The interior spaces were created by a process similar to that of an excavation, suppressing planes or parts of planes, creating tridimensional connections between spaces and enabling the pathways, creating an interior space with its own expression and logic.

It was then that we completely understood the versatility and flexibility the building had, and that it could easily be inhabited and adapted to a function and a programme. Being so we assumed the idea that the building could house the dispersed assets related to the Lines of Torres thematic, bringing them together to one place. By then, we decided to test the building as an exhibiting shelter over that theme, being composed by support and study areas. It should have an exhibit route and that in this route it would be possible to connect the exterior landscape interpretation, thereby, integrating them both. At that point, we felt that we could and should share the project, and so, we offered the architectural project to the city. We presented it and it has been accepted by the Town Hall, being integrated in the Lines of Torres Vedras 200 year’s commemorations.

In the adaptation to the final programme, which is quite simple and not too demanding in terms of technological answers, only slight adjustments in the volumes dispositions have been necessary. Kipping the flexibility and versatility in the interiors, the structural skeleton was introduced, respecting the volumes original shapes to which are added plasterboards planes, reducing to the maximum the finishing’s and enabling the adaptability inside a quite strong rule. Through the narrow entrance stairway that tears the square, we enter the building, descending to the lower level, under the heavy volumes and a huge skylight,

A large foyer, a space with different height variations, is located in this floor. The design of this space results from the volumes negative, being strongly illuminated by the huge skylight and 2 glass planes. These glass elements allow not only the illumination but also the possibility to read the volumes as an interior / exterior continuity. Around this illuminated space where the reception is located, are other areas with no natural light, each of those with different characteristics and functions, such as: cafeteria, library, investigation room, temporary exhibit room… Closer to the vertical accesses, is located the museum shop. Through the staircase we climb directly to the second floor, since the first floor is entirely dedicated to technical structures and machinery equipment.

On the second floor we begin the way through the permanent exhibition rooms, where the more significant assets of the Lines of Torres will be displayed and explained. This area is composed of 3 public access rooms, linked together on different angles In this floor, is also located a restricted access area, in communication with the lower floor through a mezzanine and with direct connection to the auditorium stage. Returning to the staircase we go up to the third floor.

On third floor, we arrive to the last exhibition room. Different to the others, this one is naturally lit and from this room on, ending the exhibit course, we accede to the terrace. Once in there, the visitor has the chance to confront the received information from the exhibition with the surrounding landscape. Still on this floor, and after contact with the exterior terrace and passing through it, the visitor accesses a small auditorium.