DESIGN STATEMENT

'Hidden worlds' centres around the volcanic cinder cone and lava tube known as 'Furna de Frei Matias', located on Pico island in the Azores archipelago. The design proposal explores the intimate relationships between three very different and unique landscapes: the barren pastureland, the densely vegetated inner volcanic crater, and the lava tube at the base of the crater. These three drastically contrasting landscapes all occur across an extremely small spatial scale and represent a microcosm of Pico in its different states of existence throughout history, representing the volcanic origins of the island, the endemic vegetation and forests, and finally, the human alteration of the landscape following the arrival of the first settlers.

The design is grounded in the idea of creating a harmonious dialogue between the man-made and the natural, weaving a network of basalt structures across these landscapes to guide visitors on a journey of discovery and connection with Pico’s endemic vegetation and geo-heritage.

Master of Landscape Architecture

Final Project