Penhas da Saúde Youth Hostel
In the unique landscape of Penhas da Saúde, the challenge was to design a new low cost building which complemented the main building of the Movijovem youth hostel and was able to meet the requirements of a discerning young clientele.
In response to two key objectives – that of creating a dialogue with both the existing building and with local architecture – the siting of the new building is ergonomically strategic: close enough to relate to the principal building and far enough away to assert itself as an independent volume capable of formally and sculpturally reinterpreting local architecture.
This position endows the building with the status of an entrance structure whilst ensuring that the main building remains entirely visible and retains its commanding role. Sited on an external platform or promontory, the project is composed of two storeys, twenty-four rooms and a communal living area, with an area of 695 m2, exemplifying the simplicity of the complex as a whole.
