The Times They Are A-Changin'

As team 8’s time comes to an end we have welcomed Edite’s Thinking Big in our office for a final session focused on bringing closure to the group. Reflecting on the three months that have gone by, we considered and discussed what had been learnt, altered and gained, concentrating on the individual and collective experience of all the participants. Further details of the session can be seen on Thinking-Big's blog. Thank you again Edite for all the enthusiasm and energy, and for creating the space and the time to reflect upon our thoughts and actions as an evolving group.

And as the thought of what we have achieved and built together comes into place, we could not leave without thanking José, Rita, Daniel and Natalia. It was a pleasure and a privilege to get to know you all. Thank you for welcoming us with joy and care, and for the fundamental part you’ve played in this amazing professional and personal experience. All you’re advices and shared experiences will not be forgotten.

We also want to thank Sr. João Pacheco, for the insights on carpentry and Ribeira, embodying a perspective and personal experience which we got to know and understand up-close. We wish you all the best for your future endeavors and hope to see your skills and expertise shining through Arrebita’s project in the future!

Last but not least, a final thank you to all the partners that welcome and embrace Arrebita’s project. Without you, this experience would not have been made possible. Through all the meetings and discussions on-site, your expertise were fundamental to the construction of a different perspective on architecture, and for the deepening of the connection between design and reality. Without your practical contribution to our project, our possibilities would remain an abstraction.

After a week of transitions and changes, welcomes and goodbyes, we wish Team 9 and all the following teams the best of luck and courage, and that your experience can be at least as exciting as ours was! 

We’ll meet again anytime soon, and celebrate Arrebita for what it means and for what it will become in the near future!

Designing A!Plan - part 2

Hello Arrebitas! 

Here we are again to share with you the concept and image Team 8 has developed for Reboleira 42! 

Seeking a strong architectural identity for Arrebita!Porto’s pilot project, we have brought together our individual ideas and skills, which were discussed and synthesized as a whole, having in mind the materials and services provided by our partners, and considering that the network we are building is in constant growth and expansion. In this sense, we sought to approach the different levels of the building as components of an integrated system, which would come together through the use of a specific array of materials and finishes transverse to all of them.

Regarding the basement area, we have concentrated our attention in the floor finishing and the addition of two storage units to the space. Having cork as its material, we have designed a pattern for the floor that refers to the traditional Portuguese tile usage, applying and re-thinking it in an innovative way. As a strong element in the composition, the floor would work as the highlight of the room, vitality that would contrast with the clean white walls and the simplicity of the A!Wall design. As a storage unit, the A!Wall intends to establish a parallel with the A!Box, using the same modular system and materials, exploring different possible combinations and dimensions of drawers, according with the activity to be developed in this space.

The A!Box, as a representation of the Arrebita! spirit, defines and differentiates the upper floors, and its development intends to maintain the link with the materials and methods of the overall project, but allowing it to be as versatile and adaptable as possible to other buildings and circumstances. Maintaining the modular system created by the previous teams, we have tried to solve the constructive and technical challenges these specific areas represent, considering the possibility of using cork throughout the entire bathroom area and reinforcing the insulation in the modular panels as well. In this sense, the panels were simplified and their variety achieved through the different combinations in terms of colours and textures.

As for the ground floor, we have centered our attention in the entrance area, transition between Rua da Reboleira and the interior, main focus of the passers-by and first impression for the visitors. As a gathering space, the entrance accommodates a siting area complemented by a visual connection with the basement, through a light well, as well as a tile wall, which can also serve as an identifiable focal point. 

In close relationship with the ground floor we have the mezzanine, which complements it with a small area enclosed by glass panels, and can be used for different activities that require more privacy, also functioning as a light source for the rest of the floor.

As the concepts, ideas and architectural drawings start to come together and we summarize all the information for the next team, the facade preparation is also advancing, since the permit for the placement of the scaffolding in Rua da Reboleira has been made, and the testing process of Weber’s facade solutions is also in development.

We’ll keep you posted as we go! Cheers from Arrebita!Porto!

New partners, refreshed design

Hello everyone! We are back to let you know what we’ve been up to the last days!

  

After some productive meetings with our partners we are able to confirm the re-introduction of the mezzanine on the ground floor, which will be constructed by Norporto, one of our most recent partners! We also had the chance to meet Eng. Ávila e Sousa, from Gyptec, which kindly thought us through their wall and ceiling revetment systems, and accompanied us in a site visit to see how their solutions fit our specific case. In this sense, we also counted with the help of topographer Paulo Sousa, which helped us map the roof structure and the numerous variations of our building, considering the need for accurate information in order to design and install the ceiling with ease. We also welcomed our partners from Gercima on site, where we discussed and decided on the new windows to be produced.

Another highlight of the week was our visit to one of the locations of Ribeira VintageApartments, really close to our headquarters, in the highly historical street of Mouzinho da Silveira. Situated in the heart of Porto, in a quarter which was recently refurbished by TopDomus, the building combines different typologies of flats, which successfully match the traditional qualities and specificities of Porto’s building characteristics, with the requirements and performance of contemporary materials and architectural development.

In the meantime, we are also progressing on the design project, deciding on textures and materials, as well as the different finishes and possibilities of use for the mezzanine, ground floor and basement areas.

For the mezzanine we are considering the possibility of its enclosure, adding sliding panels which will allow for two different activities to be developed at the same time between the ground floor and the upper space. For the ground floor we are designing a common area at the entrance revolving around a tile covered wall which will be personalized in the forthcoming weeks. As for the basement, we are creating a new floor pattern, as well as a modular system of storage, that can suggest or facilitate some possible uses for this space; projects inside this project, which we intend to develop in the upcoming weeks.

Almost two months after our arrival we are keeping busy here in Arrebita!Porto headquarters, and it feels like time is flying by too quickly. We are already considering and interviewing the members for Team 9, and it feels that it was only yesterday that we were being interviewed ourselves. However, with a month to go, we still have a lot of things we want to develop further, and a lot of ideas to put to action!

In the meantime, we’ll keep you posted! Cheers from Arrebita!

Designing A!Plan

Hello fellow Arrebitas!

Here we are again with some great news to share with you!

As the preparation of the work to be done in the facade continues, we are pleased to let you know that we have a new partner, Gercima, which will be responsible for the production of the Arrebita! windows, which we thank and welcome with excitement!

As the design plan of the facade starts to come together, we are also focusing our attention in the interior design of the building, considering the re-introduction of the mezzanine, above the ground floor. As it would allow us to explore the full potential of this storey’s exceptionally high ceiling, as well as to maximize its flexibility in the future, we will meet Norporto this week and go through the different possibilities of its development, having in mind the full potential of light steel framing construction as well as the specificities of the building, which we will weight and consider together, on site.

With the latest developments in mind, we are searching for an architectural image that will allow the building to come together as a whole, bringing together the materials and services made available through our partners in action, as well as the different uses and purposes the building will embrace. From the housing units, where our A!box will be crucial for the definition of space and architectural language, to the ground floor, mezzanine and basement, open to different and versatile purposes and activities.

With all this in mind, this week will be an exciting one! Today, Natalia Solano, our architect in residence, will work with us in an intensive session, focused on the A!box and the overall architectural design of the building. From there, we will meet our partners from Gyptec, Gercima and Norporto throughout the week, in order to clarify any doubts we might have and develop the project even further!

We’ll keep you posted as always! Feel free to follow us also through facebook and instagram for more updates!

Cheers from Arrebita!

Next stop: facade!

Dear Arrebitas,

Team 8 is now preparing the work to be done in the facade, between the improvement of the drawings of the windows and doors, and choosing a range of possible colors to apply. Having in mind the fact that our pilot project is located in the “priority intervention area of Infante D. Henrique”, a well-known historical and protected area, we are making sure that the building maintains its original features.

In this sense, the next step will be to clean and repair the facade with the products provided by Weber, to which will follow the test of an array of color samples to match the existing ones, made possible by CIN.

To continue this effort, the doors on the ground floor will be refurbished by us with the help of PIGMA, in a workshop format session that will give us the tools to do the work ourselves!

 The windows, on the other hand, due to their poor conditions of conservation, will need to be replaced completely. Following the same logic of the rest of the facade, we aim at maintaining their material, colour and design, improving at the same time their insulation qualities, with double glazing. We are now on the run for new partners who can help us achieve these goals!

For all of this and more we are eager to see some improvement on the weather so we can start with the hands-on work! As soon as the scaffolding is placed we will also be able to start thinking about the building’s soffit, to be designed and built by Sr. João Pacheco. 

At Sr. João’s atelier, right next to Ponte Luís I, the 1:20 model of Reboleira 42 is also showing progress, as the structure of the building is reaching completion and growing progressively, just as the building itself.

Tomorrow we will meet Rita, Daniel and Natalia, our wonderful team of engineers and architects, and afterwards discuss the evolution of the work with the contractor, in order to establish the guidelines and deadlines for the next weeks!

We’ll keep you posted, anytime soon!