Citadel Within the City

Set within the Matosinhos Sul Urbanization Plan by Álvaro Siza, the former Brandão & Companhia canning factory occupies a privileged position near the coastline, retaining a strong connection to the industrial past and maritime identity of the area. The intervention reinterprets this legacy through a mixed-use development that consolidates healthcare, commercial, office, and residential functions within a unified architectural system, restoring the original envelope and chimney while introducing a contemporary layer.

 

Urban Integration

The proposal addresses the fragmentation of the existing structure by re-establishing continuity within the urban fabric. While the original volumetry occupied almost the entire plot, the project introduces permeable and green voids that allow natural light and circulation to penetrate the block. These interstitial spaces generate visual and physical connections between programs, enhancing accessibility to upper levels and fostering interaction within a dense, multifunctional urban environment. The ground floor accommodates commercial and service functions, offices are positioned on the first level, and residential units are organized in elevated volumes.

 

 

Programmatic Organization

At the entrance to the residential areas, a reception space opens onto a patio that operates as the central node of circulation, linking communal zones and distributing movement across the complex. The spatial hierarchy is structured to balance privacy and collectivity, ensuring fluid transitions between different uses. The distribution of the building mass into distinct volumes creates a dynamic composition that responds both to the scale of the plot and to the surrounding urban context.

 

 

Material Palette

The architectural language is articulated through a juxtaposition of materials with varying densities, notably pigmented concrete and aluminum stretched mesh. This contrast reflects the dialogue between past and present, emphasizing both the solidity of the existing structure and the lightness of the newly inserted volumes. Suspended above the courtyard, these elements introduce a sense of elevation and permeability, with a material palette inspired by the proximity to the sea. The intervention ultimately establishes a balanced relationship with adjacent buildings and the public realm, contributing to the revitalization of the block and supporting a broader strategy of sustainable urban development.

 

Layered continuity

Located in the heart of Jingdezhen’s Imperial Kiln Historic District, the regeneration of a former porcelain factory complex proposes a contemporary strategy for historic preservation through what the architects describe as a “Plugin Architecture” approach. Rather than replacing the existing structures, the intervention introduces new architectural insertions within and around the historic fabric, revitalizing the site while maintaining its cultural and spatial continuity. Jingdezhen – renowned as China’s “Porcelain Capital” – has been associated with porcelain production for more than a millennium, making the careful integration of new architectural elements within this context particularly significant.

 

Design Philosophy

The core concept of the project is based on a system of architectural “plugins”— new spatial modules inserted into existing buildings to enhance functionality while preserving their historic character. These contemporary interventions upgrade the aging workshops and support structures to accommodate new programs such as offices, meeting rooms and guest accommodations.

Rather than imitating historical forms, the inserted modules are intentionally expressed as modern architectural elements. Their clear visual distinction establishes a dialogue between old and new, reinforcing the layered history of the site while enabling the complex to function as a contemporary cultural destination. Circulation elements such as staircases and walkways are introduced both inside and outside the structures, improving connectivity and enabling the adaptive reuse of previously fragmented spaces.

 

 

Glass Pavilion & Lighting

At the center of the site stands a three-story glass pavilion that functions as a new architectural landmark within the historic district. Designed as a transparent volume topped with a traditional double-pitched roof clad in clay tiles, the structure houses exhibition spaces and a café while acting as a focal point for the main public square.

The contrast between the transparent glass enclosure and the surrounding masonry buildings establishes a clear architectural dialogue between contemporary design and historic context. The roof appears to float above the glazed structure, reinforcing the sense of openness and creating a spatial extension of the public square into the building interior. From a distance, the pitched roof emerges among the surrounding tiled rooftops, subtly referencing the traditional architectural language of Jingdezhen.

Carefully integrated lighting design plays a crucial role in reinforcing the pavilion’s architectural presence, particularly after sunset. Warm recessed luminaires embedded within the timber soffit of the roof evenly illuminate the glass envelope, transforming the pavilion into a softly glowing lantern within the historic courtyard. Inside, discreet linear and point lighting accentuate the brick core and the vivid orange circulation elements, highlighting the layered spatial composition while maintaining a restrained and atmospheric ambiance. The transparency of the façade allows interior light to spill into the surrounding public square, strengthening the visual connection between interior activity and the historic urban fabric.

 

 

Materials & Urban Circulation

The project reinforces the relationship between interior and exterior space through the careful treatment of the courtyard landscape. Brick paving extends from the public square directly into the interior of the glass building, dissolving the boundary between inside and outside.

Within the courtyard, the paving transforms into stepped surfaces that accommodate changes in elevation while simultaneously functioning as informal seating areas. On the opposite side of the square, a series of barrel-vaulted brick rooms form the building’s base, anchoring the new structure within the historical material language of the site.

To improve accessibility and spatial continuity across the complex, one of the existing buildings was rotated, merging two separate courtyards into a single shared public space. This reconfiguration allows visitors to move fluidly between the public square, the glass pavilion and the surrounding workshops, effectively transforming the former industrial compound into a cohesive cultural environment.

Located adjacent to Chimney Square, the project sits within a dense historical landscape that includes the Imperial Kiln Museum and the archaeological remains of the Imperial Porcelain Factory to the west, while the historic Xu Family Kiln – the oldest and most complete preserved wood-fired kiln site in Jingdezhen – lies to the north. Within this historically layered setting, the project establishes a careful balance between preservation and contemporary intervention, transforming the former industrial site into a vibrant public destination that celebrates both the legacy and the future of porcelain culture.

 

Spiral volume

The project was conceived as a contemporary office building that redefines the character of the Bonfim district. The project establishes a new urban presence while maintaining dialogue with the surrounding context, balancing modernity with continuity.

 

Spatial Organization

The building’s volumes are arranged to generate permeability and interaction with the city. A sequence of spaces, including internal courtyards and terraces, creates visual continuity and fosters a sense of community among occupants. Connections to public streets and open areas reinforce accessibility and integration with the urban fabric.

The layout accommodates flexible office spaces designed for adaptability to different user requirements. Ground-floor areas open toward the public realm, inviting interaction between the building and the city. Circulation cores are strategically positioned to optimize efficiency while maintaining clarity of orientation.

 

 

Material Palette & Sustainability

The façade combines stone and glass surfaces, ensuring durability and transparency. Natural light penetrates deep into interior spaces, reducing reliance on artificial illumination. Sustainability measures guided the selection of construction systems and finishes, integrating both performance and aesthetic goals. The project achieved BREEAM EXCELLENT certification for design and a VERY GOOD rating for construction, highlighting its environmental responsibility.

 

 

Context Integration

Situated in Porto’s Bonfim area, the project contributes to the regeneration of a historic district. The design enhances the urban landscape by creating a landmark that anchors the area while respecting its scale and character. The office building stands as a catalyst for contemporary workplace culture and sustainable urban growth.

 

Reyner Banham’s “Los Angeles: The Architecture of Four Ecologies” explored the freeways as a key element of Los Angeles’s urban fabric, viewing them as a symbol of the city’s unique “autopia” and a major agent of its sprawling suburbanism.

 

Conceptual Approach

In this context, the concept of “Carpool Lanes” is reimagined as a poetic gesture, where the open road meets cooling waters, blending travel and leisure in a surreal dialogue with the landscape. Elevated concrete lanes of turquoise colored waters introduce a fluid juxtaposition of motion and stillness. This speculative intervention seeks to relieve the relentless congestion and monotony of the freeway experience, offering drivers a moment of serenity amid the rush.

The project is part of a larger series examining the LA freeways and their profound impact on the urban and cultural environment, using generative AI to visualize alternate futures. These AI-driven compositions evoke both nostalgia and futurism, reinterpreting Los Angeles through the lens of technological imagination.

 

 

Prompts & Software

The prompt served as the starting point, and through multiple rounds of generation, subtle word adjustments, and careful planning and zooming into the details, the final images were created.

Pool level, sitting inside pool, freeway pools, elevated pools intertwined with the freeway. Oddly elegant, hundreds of people everywhere, – no cars in pools –ar 4:5

Created in Midjourney v6.1

 

Micro Communities

Little Athens is a new and vibrant neighborhood that features a broad range of contemporary residences and apartments designed by acclaimed local and international architects. Initially comprising five residential developments -Park Rise, Pavilion Terraces, Promenade Heights, Atrium Gardens, and Trinity Gardens- it will provide all the benefits of The Ellinikon: the proximity to the park and the beach, a smart city community, and a variety of shopping, food and beverage destinations, as well as wellbeing facilities.

 

Park Rise

Park Rise is designed by the internationally renowned architectural studio Bjarke Ingels Group. It includes 88 residences across 12 storeys, providing panoramic sea and park views with LEED Gold Certification. The residential complex provides exclusively to the residents’ amenities such as indoor swimming pool and gym, while a pavilion has been created to host outdoor activities for both children and adults.

 

Pavilion Terraces

Pavilion Terraces is a complex of 156 apartments in 7 six-storey buildings (4 mixed-use and 3 pure residential), designed by architectural practice 314 Architecture Studio. The buildings provide panoramic sea and park views, while the penthouses are offered with roof gardens and Jacuzzis. At the ground floor of the mixed-use buildings, neighborhood retail units are developed, enhancing a sense of community and openness.

 

Promenade Heights

Also designed by 314 Architecture Studio, Promenade Heights is constituted by 2 complexes with 79 apartments in total, offering different apartment typologies, from one to four bedrooms. The complexes comprise of nine buildings, up to 5 storeys high, which are developed in two plots with open green areas.

 

Atrium Gardens

Atrium Gardens is a mixed-use complex designed by Deda & Architects, with 56 Apartments from one to four bedrooms in four buildings, up to 5 storeys. The standout feature of the compound is the central private courtyard shared amongst the residents, while the neighborhood retail units are developed along the road servicing the local community.

 

Trinity Gardens

Trinity Gardens, designed by Tsolakis Architects, consists of 80 apartments from one to four bedrooms, in three residential buildings up to 5 storeys high. The complex includes a central courtyard shared amongst the residents, and has easy access to The Ellinikon Park, the sea and Little Athens retail.

The project for the new regional headquarters of Guardia di Finanza (Financial and Customs Police) transforms a marginal urban condition into a work of architecture that exudes both composure and rigor, all while seamlessly incorporating a diverse range of spaces and establishing connections with the urban fabric and distinctive elements of the city of Bologna.

 

Contextual Design

The project is situated within a complex context: an area on the edges of the city enclosed by urban partitions and characterized by a series of heterogeneous spaces. To the north, the railway line and Bologna’s high-speed train station create a continuous boundary of partitions and infrastructures. To the south, there’s the dynamic area of the DumBO Social Center and to the east, the building is bordered by Via Tanari street. As a result, the design delves into the concept of the “boundary”, which is envisioned as a transformative “third space”, fostering the emergence of interactive and innovative architectural dynamics as well as interprets this marginal urban condition as an opportunity for connection and regeneration within the district.

 

Design Approach

The new structure, perpendicular to Via Tanari and seamlessly integrated with the original core of the Bertarini barracks, functions as a compact element with a bespoke elevation. A series of terraces are designed as outdoor extensions to the program. These elevated gardens, gradually descending along the five floors, are conceived as spaces that not only enhance the environmental quality of the office spaces but also establish a visual connection with the urban landscape.

Despite being part of a military complex and, therefore, a confined and protected area, the new office building strategically establishes a series of connections with the urban context. More specifically, on the southern facade an elevated footbridge is designed to connect the new offices to the existing spaces of the Bertarini barracks. Towards the west, the new architecture rises in front of the partition separating the barracks area from the temporary urban regeneration space DumBO, housed in the former railway freight yard. This creates an additional opportunity for visual interaction between the military complex and the social life of the city.

 

Façade Design

The facades are composed by a series of panels that result in a modular pattern featuring the dominant red tones found in the material textures of Bologna. The relationship between the facades and their environment enhances the overarching theme of order and transformation within the architectural composition.

In this regard, various vantage points, contribute to a visual progression that unfolds both horizontally and vertically. The true element that disrupts and simultaneously reconfigures the internal spaces is the long staircase, which unfolds linearly along the entire length of the building and guides the movement as well as the gaze of the visitors.