Lisbon by Filipe Gil

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LISBON

Not since the golden age of sea exploration has Lisbon seen such a cultural blossoming. Here in the European periphery, the Portuguese capital is proving that nice things come in small packages.

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António Louro Moov architecture, design and planning Can you explain the Moov working method? We call it “adisciplinar” (roughly “adisciplinary”), a word we created. We mix different disciplines: designers working with architects, with performers, with visual artists. In our work it’s common for the roles to reverse. For example, if we invite product designers to work on an architecture project, they are often the ones to determine the building’s final shape and we architects work in the small details.

n defiance of the European economic problems and a relatively small pool of funds, Lisbon boasts a new generation of diverse and dynamic creative talent. Pedro Gadanho is one of them. This architect, curator and cultural promoter affirms that Lisbon is an increasingly interesting place to live and work, and not just for the Portuguese. “More and more I find young foreigners visit Lisbon and choose to stay because of its cultural verve, its nightlife and excellent climate,” says Gadanho. Guta Moura Guedes, director of the renowned festival Experimenta Design, agrees: “Lisbon is a city that offers great opportunities to carry out projects and implement ideas. It is also very cosmopolitan and attracts countless people because of its extraordinary energy and quality of life. It’s truly a joy to live and work here.” Although far from Europe’s creative centres such as Berlin, London, Amsterdam and Paris, Lisbon’s great strength is its difference. António Louro, director of Moov Architects, says: “Being on the periphery is a good thing. You can do things in a certain way that can’t be done elsewhere. In Portugal, construction is still very artisanal and prices are still affordable, and you can generate proposals that are more difficult to do in other cities.” Multidisciplinary practice Pedrita Design Studio is exemplary of this kind of approach. Their projects range from clever flat-packed furniture to a book called Fabrico Próprio (Own Production), a cross-disciplinary homage to the Portuguese cake industry. Such a creative wealth brings unique challenges too. Moura Guedes comments that more could be done to consistently support creative activities. “The bureaucracy should be reduced to streamline decisions regarding the use of the city’s heritage spaces for dwellings and workshops, to enable more effective communication and develop incentives.” Gadanho also underlines the inherent contradictions within Lisbon’s creative scene: “People are still very self-absorbed with their subjects and their problems, but that also creates projects and discussions that are unique to this part of the world”. Despite the self-criticism (something that’s ingrained in the Portuguese way of being), Lisbon continues to mature into a creative hub that no serious design aficionado can afford to overlook. Cultural events materialise with increasing frequency: Doc Lisboa (documentary film festival), Pop Up Lisboa, Pecha Kucha nights, TED X events, the Lisbon Architecture Triennale and of course the bi-annual Experimenta Design that in 2008 spawned to Amsterdam. The fabric of the city itself is evolving to echo this onslaught of activity, with plans for new key developments such as AfricaCONT, from the British architect David Adjaye, and the new Museu dos Coches (National Coach Museum) by the Pritzker prize-winner Paulo Mendes da Rocha. Places like LX Factory – an old factory in the city’s west that is now occupied by creative professionals – are giving creative industries a more relevant role in Lisbon life. It seems, in the words of Gadanho, that the city is waking up from a long sleep. And given the fairytale overtones, it may yet live happily ever after too.

Why did you choose this multidisciplinary mode? It just snowballed. Moov’s three partners – me, João Calhau and José Niza – are really different from each other, which is a great strength. We have to discuss each project a lot to agree on our approach. We initially explored performative projects and, once in that area, we didn’t stop to ask why but just kept on going. António Louro in the Moov office, Rua de São Marçal, Lisbon.

How do you see Lisbon’s creative scene? In general it’s very generous. There is very little money to fund the creative activities, so people tend to collaborate from the first.

architour: Oriente Station Designed by Santiago Calatrava, the Oriente train station was built to cater for the crowds at the 1998 World Expo. Amid the other buildings left over from the event, it constitutes part of Lisbon’s new city centre. Incorporating metro, commuter and international trains, a bus terminal and airport link, Calatrava’s sculptural vaults and buttresses recall gothic architecture and evoke a botanical vocabularly. The organic canopy of Oriente train station, which also features vivid murals (in detail on page 72).

Is Lisbon a good city to work and live? It’s a good city to live in, but it’s hard to work here because there is so little money circulating. It’s also very dependent on connections, so it’s a small and closed circle. No one goes to the yellow pages to search for an architect. The Portuguese generally tend not to employ creative workers, but the new generation is different. If a younger person wants to build a house they would invite an architect for sure. moov.tk

Louro atop his design for the installation Seta Amarela (Yellow Arrow).

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Inês Lobo Architect How does being based in Lisbon have an influence on your work? Lisbon is much more open-minded than other Portuguese cities; it’s truly a city of southern Europe. This may not have a direct role in professional practice, but it is an important influence. Then there is its geographical nature. It’s built along a river and has the assets of a port and natural landscape that provide opportunities to explore several different building types. This means that architecture in Lisbon is simpler and more efficient than elsewhere in Portugal. Which parts of Lisbon help us to understand the city’s essential nature? I would like to highlight the restoration of Pombaline Baixa/Chiado (Lisbon downtown) after the fire, and, as a result of this, the Terraços de Bragança, both projects designed by the architect Alvaro Siza. If the Baixa area were to disappear the city would never be the same. How would you describe Lisbon’s current environment for the creative industries? We live in interesting times. We may be one of the smaller countries in Europe but our creative output is quite remarkable at all levels. I think this has more to do with being somewhat peripheral, small and attuned to the Portuguese way of being. We were always independent from the rest of the world, for better or for worse, and always will be. ilobo.pt

Inês Lobo with João Rosário, associate partner of Inês Lobo Arquitectos.

architour: Praça do Comércio Edged by the Tagus River, Praça do Comércio is one of the largest squares in Europe. Built on the site of the Palace Square, which was destroyed in the 1755 earthquake, it is commonly still known as Terreiro do Paço. Its ‘Pombaline’ design embodies the expansive vision of the Enlightenment, and contrasts with its labyrinthine pre-earthquake surrounds. Lobo’s Parasols at Gulbenkian Gardens, Lisbon.

Lobo’s entry for the Science Museum, University of Coimbra.

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Rita João and Pedro Ferreira Pedrita Design Studio Recently you moved your office to Benfica, a typical Lisbon neighbourhood far from the creative centre. Why did you choose to do that? Rita João: Well, we live in this neighbourhood, and once we had a child we needed to be near home. Sometimes, we joke that we are starting a creative cluster in the area. We want to intermingle our practice with the neighbourhood. Our studio is also a store, and we are thinking we can use our street presence to demonstrate to the community what we do.

Detail of Pedrita’s LH2O project, with Água do Luso .

Does being peripheral to the hubs of London, Amsterdam or Berlin undermine your creativity? RJ: Just the opposite! Here we have space and time to breathe and think. Lisbon is really a good city to live and work!

Rita João and Pedro Ferreira in their studio.

Which places in Lisbon inspire your design? RJ: We like the old stores in the city centre. The downtown Baixa district is amazing. Pedro Ferreira: There’s one street in Lisbon that I particularly like, Rua Portas de Santa Antão, which has theatres, restaurants, and hidden places, like Casa do Alentejo. RJ: And Martim Moniz Square has a fantastic mix of cultures. What’s the philosophy behind Pedrita's approach? RJ: It’s hard to explain, but it’s something organic that grows and just happens. PF: We have a ‘to do’ list of projects. Some become priorities due to deadlines, and there’s a parallel list of projects for when we have time. RJ: The idea is to have fun and learn about a lot of things, from materials and techniques to personal growth and human interaction. PF: For example, we are now working with tapestry, but previously didn’t have a clue how carpets were made. pedrita.net

A Pedrita study for a tile panel.

architour: Casa dos Bicos The ‘house of facets’ was built around 1523 for a local statesman. It is particularly recognisable for its distinctive ‘waffle’ textured exterior of diamond-shaped stones. Though it is thought to be modelled on the palaces of Venice, it includes a local flavour through Manueline flourishes on several of the windows. A detail from Pedrita's studio.

To see more images of Lisbon by Tobias Titz go to monumentmagazine.com.au/100

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Left: MUDE’s marble staircase hints at the building’s former life. Right: the Francisco Capelo collection at MUDE. Far right: The MUDE building’s iconic counter. Middle right: Henrique Ralheta and Miguel Flor’s Re-Pocket chair at the Palácio Quintela.

MUDE

The Fashion and Design Museum, Museo do Design e da Moda, or MUDE, which also means ‘change’ in Portuguese, has enriched Lisbon’s museum offerings since May 2009. Bounded by the main streets of Lisbon’s historic centre, the new museum is part of a greater revitalisation strategy for the area. MUDE is swiftly reinforcing the city’s status as a new design capital and European cultural tourism destination. It is the new home of the impressive Francisco Capelo collection, previously on display at the Belém Cultural Centre. MUDE’s building was first built as a bank in 1864. In 1952 architect Cristino da Silva sumptuously renovated the interior, with marble floors and counter, stainless steel columns and stucco ceilings. In 2003, illegal demolition almost destroyed these protected interiors, ceasing only with a court order. Now adapted as a museum by local architects Joana Vilhena and Ricardo Carvalho, the building’s latest incarnation may be idiosyncratic, but it succeeds in affirming its unique architectural identity. mude.pt

Palácio Quintela

The Palácio Barão do Quintela e Conde de Farrobo (Palácio Quintela) represents a montage of Portuguese history. Completed in 1788, it is the site of the creation of the Portuguese Republican Party, was home to General Junot during the Napoleonic invasions, and houses frescoes by neoclassical Portuguese artists António Manuel da Fonseca and Cyrillo Volkmar Machado. It is little wonder, then, that it was classified a heritage building of public interest in 1938. In 1969 one of Portugal’s leading design schools, IADE, made the palace its cultural headquarters, and are currently restoring its iconic frescoes. Until June 2011, IADE is in partnership with Experimenta Design to curate exhibitions, conduct workshops, classes and discussions in the historical space. iade.pt

Experimenta Design’s exhibition Revolution 99-09 at the Palácio Quintela.

New design juxtaposed with old at the Palácio Quintela.

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Pedro Gandanho in his home office, searching for a magazine on the bookshelf (pictured below).

Pedro Gadanho

Architect Pedro Gadanho is recognised as one of the most pre-eminent Portuguese thinkers and critics of architecture. He was an active contributor to Experimenta Design in its early years, hosted a television program with fellow architect José Mateus, who is also president of the Lisbon Architecture Triennial, and has been curator of several exhibitions. Based in Lisbon’s historical Sé, he shares his neighbourhood with tourists from every corner of the world. Maybe it is that international presence that influences him to seek inspiration from outside his hometown. As he says: “I need to fly away from Lisbon and Portugal each month or two, not only because I like to travel but also because sometimes Portuguese creative people become closed in on themselves, speaking and discussing their problems among each other without looking to the future or what is happening outside the border.” Gadanho’s expertise on architecture, design and art is strongly grounded in his international network, which allows him to stay abreast of the cutting-edge of architectural theory and criticism. His thoughts, ideas and projects can be found and followed on his blog, Shrapnel Contemporary, written in English, of course. shrapnelcontemporary.wordpress.com

contributors: tobias titz is an

Filipe Gil is a Lisbon-

award-winning photographer

based journalist specialisng

based in Melbourne. He enjoys

in architecture and design. He

documenting the interaction

currently divides his time be-

between humans and cities.

tween editorship of Arquitec-

Lisbon is one of his favor-

tura 21 magazine and the role

ite cities. He observes, “It has

of Editorial Director of IFE

the perfect balance of ancient

Portugal.

and modern, with friendly and relaxed people who have an appreciation for good design and style.”