ARCHITECTURE:
Eduardo Souto Moura
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ADDRESS:
EN339, Covilhã
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CITY:
Covilhã
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DATE:
2001-2013
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VISIT:
Inside - Outside
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MORE DETAILS:
Reconversion and Recovery of the Railway Workers Old Sanatorium to Pousada da Serra da Estrela

Although the building had become severely degraded, its physical presence had the testimonies necessary for its full recovery. We also had access to the architect Cottinelli Telmo project that contained all the information for its (re) construction. The existing ruin worked well for the program presented. It was necessary to change specific situations, understanding that they kept the language and respect for the integrity of a building that is part of the recent History of Architecture. The first question was whether we should keep the sanatorium atmosphere and its lining materials. We thought so, because they were a good image of an environment of the 30s, with the advantage that today the materials existing there could still be found. Thus, the proposal was a “full restoration”, except for the redesign of the roofs. It was intended to meet the real needs for the implementation of an hotel equipment making it profitable, efficient and functional, without changing the adopted concept of a “global restoration”, where the adaptation to its new function was almost “natural” and which, altogether, had the coherent and final image of a reconstructed building.

Eduardo Souto Moura
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