Arquipelago

The proposal responds to a broader historical condition, a counterproposal that favours mixture over separation and diversity over repetition. Throughout the twentieth century, the introduction of rationalised planning models and the dominance of the automobile fragmented the traditional continuity of the city. Porto was no exception. Housing sectors became isolated from collective life, and the sense of neighbourhood gradually gave way to individualised patterns of occupation.

Given the scale of the intended development, approximately 50,000 m², most existing barracks structures are removed. Only the former Asilo building is retained and adapted into a student residence, anchoring the new neighbourhood within the site’s historical memory and defining the western urban front.

Public space structures the plan before the built form is defined. Four base platforms, each separated by five metres in height, stabilise the terrain and organise circulation. Steps, ramps, and terraces articulate transitions between levels, integrating topography into spatial experience.

A large square is positioned to the west, framed by the adapted Asilo, new residential and commercial fronts, and a tower. The tower marks the place within the wider city and allows greater density while freeing ground for public use. At the centre of the site, a wooded area operates as a green hinge between platforms.

Housing is organised through a three-metre square module that regulates the entire development. This matrix allows flexible dwelling configurations and supports prefabrication strategies. Buildings are distributed heterogeneously, offering varied access types and relationships between public and private spaces. Shared facilities extend domestic life beyond the private unit, reinforcing collective living.