Tower 15
Located in Leça da Palmeira, and attentive to the dialogue with the organic fabrics left by an inherited rurality, further assimilated by the city, Tower 15 is an integrated urban and landscape initiative, where the ground floor transforms into a vibrant public space, seamlessly blending retail and leisure facilities for residents and visitors alike.
Within the towering structure, a diverse range of one to four bedroom apartments and four duplex penthouses seamlessly combine unity and formal diversity. The result is a dynamic and visually arresting vertical composition that introduces subtle gradations into the regulating and structuring grid.
The building itself stands as a singular entity, defined by its own image and language, characterised by pronounced orthogonal and virtuous three-dimensionality. The formal and material relief results from the overlap of several layers, dynamically alternated and grouped to create a visual tapestry.
Inspired by the repetition observed in the stacked containers at Porto de Leixões that is set nearby, the facade consists of 6 modular nodes, which allows to adapt the design to different uses. Besides the modular capacity of the facade, the design also enables green spaces to grow, lounge spaces and to strategicly allocate technical devices.
Using a gradient approach, from the smallest to the biggest apartment, the typologies are mixed, promoting a dynamic facade, where the tower undergoes a process of self-humanisation through meticulous material modulation and standardisation.
The vertical and horizontal stereotomy breaks unfold with measured variations and dimensions, transforms the structure into a living, breathing presence within the urban landscape.
This unique structure not only engages with its immediate surroundings, but also establishes its own narrative. Vertical and horizontal breaks along the edges of the volume play with light and shadow, offering diverse and limitless perspectives of Matosinhos.
The deliberate design choices further emphasise the humanising influence of the structure, seamlessly integrating it into the cityscape while providing a range of perspectives that enhance the experience
for all viewers.
