General Consulate of Portugal in Rio de Janeiro
MANUFACTURERS
CASAIS BRASIL, RESINAS CASTRO
CATEGORY
Embassy
LOCATION
Botafogo, Brazil
PROJECT TEAM
Pedro Campos Costa, Daniela Figueiredo, Duarte Santo, Katarzyna Augustyniak, Francesca Nafissi,
CLIENT
Ministério dos Negócios Estrangeiros
Text description provided by architect.
The project for the new General Consulate of Portugal was planned as an extension of Saint Clemente’s Palace in Rio de Janeiro.
Benefiting from a spacious site and a valuable location, the new volume introduces itself into the pre-existing historical structure.
The design process required a great consideration for the pre-existence and a well-balanced relationship between the prevailing and the implemented building.
The simple volume of the extension stays modest, covered with a green roof visible from the terrace of the Palace. The new building reveals its strong identity in the entrance patio, finished with ceramic tiles, as well as in the interior spaces.
Here, the oblique faces that compose the ceiling emphasize the central patios, responsible for filling the building with natural light.
This type of solution ensures a good thermal behavior of the structure.
In addition, the openings in the patios allow natural ventilation and regulate the direct exposure to sun light.
Moreover, the green roof forms a thick and natural insulation layer that helps avoiding an overheating of the building.