Centro Cultural Cartaxo

D'Coque National Sports and Cultural Centre, Cartaxo - Portugal, CVDB | photo © Fernando Guerra

Project Name: Centro Cultural Cartaxo
Construction year: 2005
Website: ccultural.cm-cartaxo.pt
Address: Rua 5 de Outubro , CARTAXO - Portugal

Architect(s) : CVDB (www.cvdbarquitectos.com)
Project Category: Cultural

Latitude: 39.1358
Longitude: -8.77554

Exterior

The Cartaxo Cultural Centre stands out for the bold exposed concrete cantilever that projects itself like a "bally of a whale" onto the street and foyer to house the main auditorium. Sited between two gables, the Centre introduces an iconographic and public character that balances the tension between its extensive programme, the site exiguity and the modesst scale of the city main civic square. Transparency and permeability allow for a visual and spatial flow and aporous relationship with the square as one moves within the building, through the facade concrete and glass screen that acts as a mediating element of scale and enables one to inhabit the exterior wall.

Interior

The Foyer is constructed in exposed concrete, natural slate and pine timber studs, emphasizing the character of these materials. Strong and bright yellow and red colours are used in the back of stage areas, revealing its lively character to the street. Int he two halls, light is revealed as if it was sculptured out of the walls and ceilings surfaces.
(text from architects' website)

Contributed by ArchiTeam