Leça da Palmeira
Project to install the Business Innovation Centre of the Sea Hub of the Science and Technology Park of the University of Porto in the buildings of the former Sanitation Centre of the Port of Leixões.
This is a somewhat complex project, given the long history of the buildings and the successive interventions that have taken place, many of which have de-characterised them. The buildings, whose design dates back to 1900, were built to house a disinfection centre on a beach area.
The buildings, traditionally built with stone walls and wooden roofs, were completely renovated, ensuring complementarity and connection between the various aspects of the project, such as form, aesthetics and functionality, as well as drainage, waterproofing, acoustic insulation, fire resistance and the compartmentalisation required for safety. Micropiles were used for the new foundations, as it was proven that the existing walls emerge from the rock mass at varying depths.
