Redbridge ISA

Description

Designing a school inside Tapada da Ajuda brought with it the delicacy necessary for intervening in a large botanical garden, in a place with intense natural life. This Redbrige campus is aimed at year 7 to year 12 classes, with a special focus on science education, in partnership with the Instituto Superior de Agronomia.

The project involves the rehabilitation of a set of 5 buildings, with the respect for the existing architectural morphology, adjusted to the new programmatic needs.

The school consists of 4 main built volumes, interconnected by covered outdoor circulation galleries, which are intended to be light constructions that do not impose themselves on the site. These circulation paths guide the students through the school’s program, ensuring a broader coherence of the whole.

The four main existing volumes, rectangular in plan, have sloping gable roofs and identical openings along their longitudinal façades, characteristics that have been retained.

The school’s outdoor space, in addition to its framing and playground functions, is intended to be a place for learning, adding a complementary dimension to the classrooms. In addition to the decompression and recreational value naturally associated with the playground, educational and community support activities can and should take place outside.

It is intended that the change of use of these spaces, located in the heart of Tapada da Ajuda, will foster the creation of a symbiotic relationship between the various parts of the school and the natural environment.