Contemplative fortress
An unknown Cape at the end of Portugal. A huge wild surface that has been created sand paths through the years, let the visitors discover the fantastic views that this landscape provide us. A mysterious continuation of walls beyond the bordering road seem to be the remains of an existing fortress next to the Sagres cape. The proposal: continue the fortress, Taking advantage of it characteristics.
Located at a cape between St. Vicent's lighthouse and the fortress of Beliche, it's needed to take advantage of the stunning views to activate this area.
It's proposed a tour around the cape that begins with the visual proyection of the existing fortress. To guide the visitors it's rised a wall that leads them along the path, functioning as a fortification around the headland. The wall, which begins to rise next to the road, makes visual barrier while walking to just be opened when the views are captivating. At certain points, it gets wider to form terraces, becomes unfolded to create eaves and the functions emerge from it, as a restaurant, viewpoint and information point. The ensemble will reflects the patina of time thanks to the biological concrete and the paving stones of the place, which allows the growth of mosses and lichens.
The first viewpoint is located surround the information point, where the wall open a frame to observe the existent fortress, then, the first tower rests on the cliff and down it. It works like impluvium, collecting rainwater and returning it to the sea. Beside it, a small harbor appears where boats can dock.
After crossing a strech of wider wall with terraces, we reach the second tower: opened to the west, where the sunsets can be observed. Specifically, the 23rd of September the sun will be aligned with the middle of the viewpoint so it will be reflected in the pond formed by collected rainwater. On the top, there is a 360 degrees viewpoint.
Before ending the tour, we find the restaurant full opened to the St. Vicent's lighthouse.
Nature is always in contact with the architecture: the covers of the two towers were removed to expose the sky and allow the entry of rain.
A clear hierarchy occur across the path, where volues take more presence as the visitors arrive at the end of the cape.
The intervention becomes a landmark for locals and a compulsory stop for visitors by land and sea.
