The new multifunctional complex will appear in the former industrial suburb of Senhora da Ora, which is now turning into a satellite city connected to Porto by a metro system.
The construction of the Serralves Foundation complex should facilitate the formation of a new urban community center around it. The spacious square that will be created next to the new building will become the most important pedestrian zone in the city.
One of the customer's wishes was to turn the building into a light source at night. Therefore, the choice of glass as the main material of the facade was predetermined: the base of the building, faced with dark stone, is supported by a frosted glass cube that will illuminate the nearby streets at night. However, such a solution, emphasizing the tectonics of the building's volumes, is opposite to the functional purpose of its parts: exhibition halls, foyers, shops and cafes will be located in a blank basement, and offices, an educational center and service premises will be located behind glass walls.
