Renovation of the Trinity College, Portugal | Aires Mateus


Photo © Nelson Garrido 

Lisbon based studio of Manuel and Francisco Aires Mateus renovated Trinity College, a 16th century building in Coimbra, Portugal.

Photography © Nelson Garrido 

Photo © Nelson Garrido

Photo © Nelson Garrido

Photo © Nelson Garrido

Photo © Nelson Garrido

Description from Aires Mateus:

The project starts with the consideration of heritage and historical values. We differentiate between the "eternal" value of the project´s masses: the compression of the great walls and domes, and the "ephemeral" character of the old structures: constructive systems traditionally made of wood. The project was developed following this understanding of passing time, preserving the value of the "eternal" and proposing a new "ephemeral". A structure made of steel, separate and flooded with light, suggests a new contemporaneity.

Photo © Nelson Garrido

Photo © Nelson Garrido

Photo © Nelson Garrido

Photo © Nelson Garrido

Photo © Nelson Garrido

Photo © Nelson Garrido

Photo © Nelson Garrido

Photo © Nelson Garrido

Photo © Nelson Garrido

Photo © Nelson Garrido

Photo © Nelson Garrido

Photo © Nelson Garrido

Photo © Nelson Garrido

Photo © Nelson Garrido

Photo © Nelson Garrido

Photo © Nelson Garrido

Photo © Nelson Garrido

Photo © Nelson Garrido