Brufe Social Center / Imago

Architects: Imago / André de Moura Leitão Cerejeira Fontes & António Jorge de Moura Leitão Cerejeira Fontes
Location: Brufe, Vila Nova de Famalicão, Portugal
Co Author: Nuno Cruz, António Dias and Bruno Marques
Collaborators: Architect José Forte, Architect Sónia Gonçalves, Architect José Pedro Fernandes, Architect José Miguel Bahia, Architect Pedro Negrões Soares, Engineer Eugénia Fontes, Dr. Tiago Fontes
Construction: Telhabel Construções, S.A.
Project Area: 1,876.95 sqm
Project Year: 2010
Photographs: José Campos – arqf

Based on a block form some openings are carved to illuminate the interior space or in most cases tearing and piercing the building to its inner courtyard. The building is turned inside out: the exterior façades look opaque, dense, with just a few carves in the main points of the building like the stairs and the main entrance. The interior façades appear as a translucid and continuous glass curtain wall that embrace the internal patio shaded by proposed trees.

In the top portion of the mass each carving provokes an event with its surroundings, covered parking spaces, main entrance, and a covered seating area for open air events. The programs criteria includes day care, rest home, office and service areas and is organized in functional blocks surrounding a central court yard. The physical communication within itself accentuates permanent visual relationship. The interconnection or independence when necessary is distributed in a permanent manner.