observatory and path
landmark
Near Ferreirim riverside -Távora dam (Sernancelhe)
What does this want to become? It wants to be an arachnid or an utilitarian object? Can it be a sensorial body or a creepy movement structure, done by its anatomy or materials selection?
It could be one creative thrue or something that has been shaped in or with nature. It´s possible to look at this and only see a sculpture or an architectural piece at men’s service, but all these considerations give us only one part of the context. This “object” gathers all these by itself!
The traditional architecture reflects the man inside out but this object reflects the man himself, like a “not to be” experience that we can try with other arts. Here we can be the sound of this place; we can transmogrify ourselves in an hydrostatic animal like a spider, only to find us inside it; we can see more than the surrounding silence were something exists; we can feel all the environment picture while we are part of it. This is a new approach, were architecture and surrounding landscape becomes a part of an object. This is not a typical program for a project. This doesn’t attempt to reflect the world, this doesn’t need the emptiness to be felt, this is more an invitation for a relationship between men and landscape, where each moment becomes an object celebration.
This object adaptability to any topography or place (more or less natural) it’s another feature that makes it unique. This can be here today, but tomorrow it can be anywhere else, like an urban place, because it is easy to bring it back with litlle impact and resources. Like arachnids do, this model maintains the leveled body, due to the versatility of its paws. This allows an incredible adaptability to high elevations, without any topography intervention, reducing any kind of impact on the landscape. Another reason for this shape is the possibility of having a 360º horizontal view from the inside, something we need interiorise ourselves as the object. This is a hollow and transparent sphere, with the an horizontal wood casing, supported by four metal legs. It can accommodate inside up to three seated people to enjoy “the moment”.
After public consultation the object was located in front of the Tâvora waterfront dam. This new location has allowed the recovery of a pedestrian access path near Ferreirim river. This activated path has a strong identity. This location also allows to recover the rustic road that allows to connect two villages (Ferreirim and Freixinho). The recoverd of path led to improvement of the pavement, drain, restoring the limiting walls and creating spaces for stopping or parking that help in the casual vehicle movement.
CarlaMarisaMadeira 