ARX

Designing a school within Tapada da Ajuda called for a sensitive approach to intervention in a large botanical garden, a place characterised by an intense natural life. This Redbridge campus is intended for lower and upper secondary students, with a particular focus on scientific education, in partnership with the Instituto Superior de Agronomia.

The project involves the rehabilitation of a group of five buildings, with the first premise being to respect the existing architectural morphology and typology while adapting it to new programme requirements.

The school comprises four main built volumes, interconnected by covered external circulation galleries, conceived as lightweight structures that do not impose themselves on the site. These circulation paths guide students through the school programme, ensuring a broader coherence across the complex.

The four existing main volumes, rectangular in plan, have pitched roofs and identical openings along their longitudinal façades — characteristics that have been preserved.

Beyond their role as spaces for recreation and as a setting for the buildings, the school’s outdoor areas are conceived as places of learning, adding a complementary dimension to the classrooms. In addition to the relaxation and recreational activities naturally associated with break time, the outdoor spaces can and should accommodate educational activities and initiatives that engage with the wider community in which the school is located.

The change of use of these spaces, situated at the heart of Tapada da Ajuda, is intended to foster a symbiotic relationship between the different components of the school and the surrounding natural environment.