Date: 2003/2008

Location: Silves, Portugal

Area: 44.630 sqm

Client: Silves Polis

Project Coordinators:
João Ferreira Nunes, Carlos Ribas

Project Collaborators:
Iñaki Zoilo, Joana Barreto, Mafalda Silva, Marta Jorge

Architecture:
Luíz Moreira

Speciality:
António Magalhães de Carvalho
FVE, Engeneering Consultants
Silvino Maio/Lacerda Moreira, Engineers
Silvia Fontão

Photography:
Diogo Bento
Fernando Guerra

The intervention provides for the separation between a public access area, a fence and an area restricted for other purposes. The labelling of the relationships between these areas, their differing functions, occurs in ‘Duas Palmeiras’ square, at an intermediary level and where the support building is located.  Two pedestrian pathways are set down along with a mixed route for pedestrians and restricted traffic as from the surrounding streets to create visual approximations that proceed to suggest rigorous frameworks for specific views. The option is for the visual recognition of the group of constructions (the Camacho Estate and the Citriculture Technology Centre buildings), utilising the square as the unifying element and maintaining the reachable scale of the site through the definition of a point of arrival and the taking in of views.
This system is characterised by a clear functional hierarchy with the main approach clearly standing out with a series of secondary connections alongside, limiting visitor access to areas of the slope susceptible to degradation given the archaeological sensitivity of the area in question. A system of gravel finished platforms was installed and interconnected and able to play an exhibitive role, for example, as a complement to the permanent information about the Castle and its history.