Alcântara, located in the westernmost part of Lisbon, became the city's first industrial zone in the 19th century. It remained a hub for major industrial units, from textiles to metallurgy, for nearly a century. In the 1990s, Alcântara underwent a process of deindustrialization and modernization. Many of these buildings, which once housed factories and warehouses, were either abandoned or repurposed for new uses. This is the case of two industrial warehouses on Rua Maria Isabel Saint-Léger. After being deactivated and used for different purposes, they will be converted into a mixed-use office complex with various open-space areas. The buildings will be unified, and interior garden courtyards will be created, with greenery extending to the rooftops, enhancing the living and functional conditions of these spaces and promoting a sense of well-being for future users. The architecture will revive the memory of the industrial past by restoring the facades and roofs, preserving and replicating original details such as friezes and cornices. Maintaining the metric of the openings, larger cuts will be made to bring sunlight into all compartments. Inside, this relationship with the previous use gains a new interpretation with the incorporation of metallic details, evoking a rawer materiality. Across the 3,700 m² area of the two buildings, office spaces, conference rooms, and semi-public access areas on the ground floor dedicated to events will be distributed.
We spoke with Francisco Ferreira, Head of Sales and Marketing at Prime, and architects Maria do Rosário Jacinto and Jorge Ferreira, who shared some details about this project.
Prime purchased two warehouses with the goal of developing a rehabilitation and conversion project into a single office building. Tell us a little about the pre-existing structures.
The original buildings date back to the second half of the 19th century. The genesis of that block is quite interesting. Essentially, it used to be a kind of soup kitchen for the poor, hence the name "cozinha económica principal." It served as a soup kitchen for decades before being divided into several warehouses for various industries, the last of which belonged to the company from which we bought the building, primarily dedicated to the logistics sector. (Francisco Ferreira)
Alcântara has very unique characteristics. How can this project enhance this area of the city?
This area of the city is still very much marked by an industrial past. There has been some interesting work in terms of rehabilitation and conversion, but we still find many abandoned or underutilized warehouses. I believe that Saint-Léger is truly a differentiating project, not only in how it rehabilitates and treats the space but also in terms of its use as offices. What we find in this area of the city in terms of office spaces are either older spaces needing some work and modernization or, in contrast, very recent but also very formal and pre-formatted spaces. Our project sits in the middle of these extremes. It will have not only an industrial aspect but also all the necessary equipment to meet the needs of future users. (Francisco Ferreira)
What is the final goal and target of this project? What is the target audience looking for, and why is this an interesting solution?
The main advantage of this building is that it meets the current needs of companies that, since COVID-19, are looking for spaces that respond not only to their work needs but also to their personal needs. I would say it is an excellent solution for any type of company looking for a unique space, integrated into an urban area close to the river with all types of services and commerce that complement the lifestyle we highly value. In terms of accessibility, they will be even better served with the metro station that will be about 500 meters away. (Francisco Ferreira)
When we started this project in 2019, we had an objective that had to be revised throughout the process. The initial design aimed for a much more formal space that met the promoter's and market's understanding. After the pandemic, there was a change in the understanding of how these workspaces should function. This new approach is much more open, flexible, and focused on the balance between personal and professional life that Francisco mentioned. With the clear objective that people feel comfortable and willing to go to work. (Maria do Rosário Jacinto)
Tell us a little about the pre-existing structures. How do you transform warehouses, spaces with limited ventilation and natural light, into comfortable and inviting workspaces?
We found two very compact warehouses, and it was necessary to dematerialize them. The crucial element that architecture brought to these spaces was the introduction of courtyards. Not only to promote healthiness and light entry but also so that employees could enjoy the outdoors within the building. These courtyards are associated with more social use areas and are not very common elements in office buildings. (Maria do Rosário Jacinto)
One of the project's premises was indeed to make the entire space pleasant and comfortable for work. Respecting the shape of the sheds and the metric of the openings, we created cuts to allow light entry. Light is one of the main challenges. In addition to the opening of courtyards that function as real light wells, the proposal also bets on the introduction of skylights that bring natural light to a second floor that didn't exist before, which will be created by taking advantage of the height of these warehouses. (Jorge Ferreira)
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