N, α e β
Oporto, Portugal
Education
15.385 m2
2025
The expansion of the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto completes the eastern edge of the campus through the construction of the Alfa and Beta buildings and the reconversion of Building N. The project emerges from a careful reading of the FEUP’s spatial evolution, recognising a campus shaped by structural clarity, volumetric discipline and a measured integration between built form and open space, extending this logic, consolidating it while responding to contemporary academic and technical demands.
The project is organised around the relationship between structure and infrastructure. A clear structural grid organises the buildings, establishing a disciplined framework capable of accommodating change over time. Within this order, technical systems are concentrated and made legible, allowing spaces to be reconfigured without disrupting the overall organisation. Architecture is reduced to essential operations: supporting, shading, organising circulation and mediating environmental conditions.
This logic becomes visible in the subtle displacement of horizontal slabs along the façades. These projected planes respond directly to orientation and programme, adjusting solar exposure, depth and shadow without resorting to applied devices. The gesture is restrained but effective, integrating passive environmental control into the architectural form. Structural pillars are similarly active participants in the spatial organisation. Their calibrated shifts respond to specific spatial requirements, most notably in the auditoria, where structural positioning ensures clear sightlines, while freeing façades and enabling adaptable internal layouts.
The organisation of the buildings follows a clear public-to-private gradient. Lower levels concentrate spaces with higher permeability (study areas, shared facilities and social zones), establishing direct continuity between interior spaces, pedestrian routes and campus squares. Upper levels accommodate laboratories, offices and technical areas, grouped by functional affinity to optimise circulation, servicing and operational efficiency. Universal accessibility is ensured throughout, with continuous and legible routes connecting all levels and buildings.
Landscape design plays a strategic role in the project. The proximity to the A3 motorway is addressed through the densification of tree cover, forming an ecological buffer that mitigates noise, pollution and visual impact. This system structures outdoor spaces, reinforces pedestrian continuity and integrates emergency and service access without fragmenting the campus fabric.
Building N is transformed from a covered parking structure into an extension of the FEUP Library Archive. The intervention introduces controlled environmental conditions, secure and efficient material circulation and a reconfigured exterior that removes former barriers to pedestrian movement, allowing the building to participate fully in the campus network.
Across all three buildings, the project presents a robust and adaptable framework designed to support the evolving academic life of the FEUP while maintaining the coherence and dignity of the existing campus.
Status
Complete, Open Competition
Client
University of Porto
Design team
Diogo Sousa Rocha
Duarte Ramalho Fontes
Francisco Pereira
Rodrigo Waihiwe
Paulina Kazana
Vasco Custódio
Diogo Borges Ferreira
Gabriella Medina
Oliwia Kurek
Paulina Demovicova
Raul Cruz
Consultants
GEG
