Hotel & Catering School / Eduardo Souto de Moura + Graca Correia

Architects: Eduardo Souto de Moura + Graca Correia
Location: Portalegre, Portugal
Collaborators: Ana Neto Vieira, Nuno Miguel Ferreira, Telmo Gervásio Gomes, Ricardo Cardoso, Pedro Gama, Nuno Vasconcelos
Client: Fundação Robinson
Area: 4,005 sqm
Year: 2011
Photographs: Luis Ferreira Alves, Courtesy of Eduardo Souto de Moura + Graca Correia

The building of the Hotel and Catering School defines a new street, a structural and vital element to the rehabilitation of the old area of the Robinson Factory.

To south, literally “hangs” over the landscape, enjoying the natural slope. The building is intended to be a box resting on the existing embankment defining a large balcony where all main spaces of the school turn to – classrooms, library, lounge, restaurant and bar.

To north, this box is closed, given its frank relation with the street, and sets up two bodies completely closed. The largest and most detached volume embraces all kitchens and infrastructural support to the restaurant, self-service and teaching kitchen, finished in a blue colour, traditionally used in bakeries and all places of special hygiene requirements. This volume is also denounced by the huge skylights-chimneys.

At the area in front of the classrooms and corresponding to the yellow ochre body were placed the offices and additional spaces of smaller area, each opening to a small private courtyard on the console.

This equipment, within the Plan to recover the old Robinson Factory, is a joint element within the urban fabric, cohabiting with the existent buildings, recovered or to be recovered, with new programs, ensuring the permanence of the original implantation, promoting the preservation of the historic memory through heritage.