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!

Roof structure: Check!

Arrebita is proud to announce that the roof of Reboleira 42 is finally complete! With the support of Telhas Cobert and its workers, the building got through the bad weather and is now one step closer to its completion.  We also had the visit of Eng. Carlos Capitão, from Tintas CIN, who came to see the work in progress and explained to us the correct way to prepare and apply the paint, so we can start with the coating of the chimneys in the days to come. 

Back at Mouzinho da Silveira, we had a presentation by Porto Vivo about the rehabilitation program they have in place for the historical centre of Porto. Having in mind the difficulties faced by private owners, and the lack of a proper support structure, Porto Vivo has developed a methodology to take the matter into their own hands, as well as developing an important role in the mediation and facilitation of the licencing process of rehabilitation proposals, such as Arrebita!Porto.

After a sunny weekend, we got back to the office and also had the opportunity to start a new project with Sr. João Pacheco, to be developed in the next few weeks: building a 1:20 model of the pilot project of Arrebita!Porto. We will keep you posted on it as we go along!

 Between visits to the building, progress at the office, and some site seeing, we had a visit from Thinking Big, and got to participate in an interesting group building experience. During the session we had the opportunity to understand and put to practice different communication and expression skills, instigating group dynamics and building upon shared experiences. A Big thanks to Edite Amorim, and also Rita and Catarina for the experience!

Two weeks after its arrival, Team 8 is off to an enthusiastic start! With the roofs’ completion, the work on site will now be focused on the facade, with the training and support of Weber’s team.

More soon!

Team 8 has arrived!

Arrebita is back with a new team! We are Andrew Cumine, Guilherme Vieira, Ana Paula Emídio, Ilaria Baldini and Joana Varajão (from left to right) and we have arrived ready to work! After a quick introduction by José, Rita and Daniel, we visited the building for the first time and talked about the work to be done. The roof is holding up perfectly and it survived the challenging weather of the last couple of days, so we can say with certainty it will survive anything! 

Yesterday we got to spend the day in Matosinhos and had a very useful Archicad workshop provided by Infor-Sociedade Portuguesa de Estudos e Informática Lda, which helped us understand the program better and move around the drawings of the project with ease. A big thanks to Ricardo Dias for the patience and help throughout the day and also to Eng. Araújo for welcoming us!

Last, but not least, a big thanks to Margarida and Leo from Team 7 for all the information they provided us with, and for the warm welcome into the project!

More soon!

Time to say goodbye

It seems like only yesterday that we started working for Arrebita!Porto but three months have flown by and it’s time for Team 7 to say goodbye. It was an intense but rewarding experience: we helped on the construction site, mainly by loading and unloading material; we saw the roof being built before our eyes; we helped promote Arrebita in a number of initiatives; we redesigned this blog; we developed a new assemblage concept for the A!Box; and, above all, we had the opportunity to be part of this great project that is set to change the historical centre of Porto for the better.

Team 7: Alexandra, Filippo, Leo, Margarida and Philippe

This final week had a bittersweet taste: on the one hand, seeing the roof practically finished made us feel a sense of accomplishment; on the other hand, it was hard to say goodbye to all the people we have grown close to during these months in Porto.

On Monday, on the eve of Alexandra’s departure, the team got together for a final drink with Rita and Daniel, our engineering coordinators. There was red wine and ‘Moscatel’ from Setúbal, along with some snacks provided by Alexandra. All in all, it was a great evening.

The group photo of our final get together with Rita and Daniel

Before we say our final goodbyes, we would like to thank the people who made these three months so enjoyable:

First of all, we would like to thank José Paixão for coming up with this brilliant idea to renovate the historical centre of Porto. Your drive to make Arrebita! happen is an inspiration to us all. And, in spite of your tendency to hum songs, we always enjoyed your company and supervision in the office.

We would also like to thank Rita and Daniel for being the coolest people we met while staying in Porto. You were always available, be it to help us at the office or to show us around the city. We surely hope we will meet again.

We would like to thank Natalia Solano Meza for her enthusiasm. We would like to thank Pedro Costa and Victor Sousa for contributing for the good mood of the team every time they came to work at the office.

We also owe a big “thank you” to all the workers we came in contact with in the construction site, with a special mention to the always ‘careful’ Mr. Joaquim.

It was a pleasure to meet and work with Mr. João Pacheco, a carpenter born and bred in Ribeira. The opportunity to work along such an experienced person was certainly enriching.

Last but not least, we would like to thank all the partners of the Arrebita network: you are the ones that keep making this project possible.

Team 7 is over but we’ll keep following any new developments in Arrebita with a keen interest. Margarida and Leo will be around in the second week of January in order to welcome Team 8. Until then, we wish all our followers happy holidays with their loved ones. Goodbye... for now – we might meet again in the great opening of the building, in December 2014. ;-)

Team 7 says goodbye

A day with the President

Hi readers! Another week has gone by and we have exciting news.

Arrebita!Porto was invited to be part of a social entrepreneurship symposium promoted by the President of Portugal, Prof. Aníbal Cavaco Silva. This was a singular opportunity to expose our project to a wider and more social-conscious audience, and we were determined to set up a small exhibition that would be truly representative of Arrebita.

As such, we started by designing a three-sided panel in which we could explain our operating principles, identify the partners that make the project possible and show the current state of the construction works in the building.

We also decided to take advantage of Mr. João Pacheco’s carpentry expertise in order to build a 1:10 model of our new proposal for the A!Box. On the one hand, the model would show one of the key elements for the refurbishing project and, we hope, the future financial sustainability of Arrebita; on the other hand, it also provided the perfect ‘excuse’ to exemplify how Arrebita can help promote members of the local community by showcasing their skills.   

Philippe and Mr. João Pacheco worked for six days straight in his small workshop under D. Luis Bridge, making sure that the model would have every detail represented.

 

Philippe and João Pacheco working on the model

Philippe and João Pacheco discussing some options

After a re-scheduling due to Nelson Mandela’s memorial in South Africa on Wednesday, the eagerly-awaited symposium with the President finally arrived yesterday. While Philippe and Mr. João Pacheco applied the final touches to the A!Box model, Margarida and Leo went in early to the event venue to set up the Arrebita exhibition. Some of the materials/samples donated by partners to Arrebita were displayed alongside the three-sided panel; the A!Box model completed the showcase.

Our small stand

Samples and catalogs from some of our partners

The A!Box model was a showstopper

The model included all the structural elements and appliances

In the middle of the afternoon, the President of Portugal made a short visit to our stand accompanied by the newly elected mayor of Porto, Dr. Rui Moreira. Prof. Cavaco Silva commended José Paixão for his presentation of the project during a more restricted event in the morning and displayed some curiosity about the A!Box. José addressed a formal invitation to the President of Portugal to attend the inauguration of our pilot project one year from now. The mayor of Porto then made a point of declaring his personal interest in the project, since it is actively trying to reenergise the city centre of Porto.

José Paixão talking to the President and the Mayor

© Presidência da República Portuguesa

All in all, the symposium was a great experience for the team and, above all, a priceless opportunity for Arrebita to reach more people. Indeed, we got major media coverage during this week, from digital newspapers to radio stations and television channels.

Until Team 7 final goodbye next week, Arrebita!

Are we there yet?

Hello! Once again, we are here to bring you the latest news on Arrebita!Porto.

First things first: on the construction site, the roof is yet to be closed as we need to waterproof the gable wall of the adjacent building. However, with the help of our new partner Envolvente, we managed to install the necessary scaffolding last Wednesday afternoon. At the moment, we are just waiting for the corrugated metal sheets to arrive in order to continue the works. Once we get the work on the neighbour’s wall done, we hope to have the roof completely finished by the end of our stay as Team 7, around the 20^th of December – and wouldn’t it make a great Christmas gift for all those involved in the Arrebita network?! 

The Envolvente workers taught the team how to put up the scaffolding

Filippo handing out a scaffolding board

It was difficult to conciliate the scaffolding with the roof structure

The scaffolding will allow us to intervene on the neighbour's gable wall

Also last Wednesday, we had a meeting on site with Mr. Jorge Barros, of Weber. He made an inspection of the building and, based on that, recommended some solutions to repair the façade. For example, the structural problems on the upper part of one of the doorways can be solved by treating the metal reinforcements with a specific Weber product, before applying some structural mortar – also provided by Weber – to repair the concrete.

Mr. Jorge Barros on site with the team

On last Thursday, we met another partner – David Reis, of Pigma – to revaluate the possibility of introducing double-glazing on the old window frames. On one hand, we want to make sure that the house is properly insulated; on the other hand, we would like to keep as many original elements of the building as possible. As such, we are striving to find a solution that will fulfil both aims.

The old window frames are frail and damaged

Since we are working on a new assemblage concept for the A!Box, we arranged a visit to a building with a similar solution on Monday. As she had done with previous teams, architect Marta Campos took us on a guided tour to the building she refurbished nearby the Fine Arts School. We would like to once again thank her for her availability to help out Arrebita’s international teams.

The team during the guided tour with Arch. Marta Campos

Meanwhile, at the office, we got some great feedback on our new A!Box concept from our architecture supervisor, Natalia Solano. Nonetheless, we still have a long way to go in order to complete the design with all the necessary details – and we are now pressured by time, since we have only two weeks left on Arrebita!Porto.

Indeed, the fact that the end of our participation is near is really starting to sink in. Last week, we made the final decision on the selection process for the next team. Then, yesterday, we experienced the first departure of an element of Team 7: Filippo left Porto to go back to his home country, Italy. We already miss you, Filippo!

Before this ‘goodbye’, however, we managed to get everyone together for a proper dinner. Rita and Daniel, our engineering coordinators, kindly offered to host an international buffet at their apartment. José Paixão, Natalia Solano and Alberto, her boyfriend, and Team 7 all brought food to share with the group: clams “à Bolhão Pato”; tortillas; guacamole; camembert cheese; biscuit cake; cheesecake; ... In spite of the variety and abundance of food, the culinary competition had a clear winner: the chestnuts prepared by Daniel. We agree with Rita: you should cook more, Daniel!

The night ended with a great game for architects and engineers: each player had to move their colour-coded columns from the board to the upper slab, while keeping the whole structure stable. In between the psychological plays, the trembling hands and the inevitable collapse of the structure, it was great fun! 

Alexandra carefully plotting her next move on the game

So, all in all, we feel like we are already running towards the finish line - but we are not quite there yet. We are in high spirits and we hope to take advantage of this final fortnight to achieve two main goals: to finish the roof and to deliver the final design for the A!Box.

Until next time, Arrebita!Porto.

Thinking Big with Arrebita!

Olá readers!

Last week was a beautiful one. The sun was shining and team 7 was reviewing the applications of the future team members. Even though we received a lot of applications, we enjoyed reading each and every single one of them. In the end we were pleased with all of them and we’re moving further on with the selection. More on that in the days to come!

After a while we decided to get creative and ‘’think big’’. So on Thursday morning we were greeted by Edite Amorim, positive psychologist working for Thinking Big, who moved the furniture around in order to create a different space for the workshop that was about to begin. In the beginning we were a bit confused and didn’t know what to expect from this workshop, but at some point it got interesting and, in the end, it was funny and practical. Let’s put it like this: we revealed our deepest desires in terms of what we want from Arrebita!Porto in the month to come; we tried to come up with the best qualities that we find in our team members only to try and discuss them later on in groups of two; we brainstormed on the "have" and "have not" qualities for the future team; and last but not least we ate some so-called Hungarian cookies, which ran out quite fast. 

Our blackboard put to use

Social skills matter in Arrebita

There were a lot of activities involved but the one we enjoyed the most was the one where we had to change our place with the person that had the same ‘’secret word’’ - coffee, chocolate or tea. We had to pay attention at what Edite had for breakfast in order to keep a chair. We played this game just to get a bit warm but, in the end, it turned out to be the funniest of them all. We are laughing like little children!...

We had a lot of fun with some of the activities

It was a good opportunity to get to know each other better

In the game of sticking post-its on each others back, all of us got really surprised by some assumptions that were made. I think it’s easier if I give you some examples:

     ‘’Jose likes to sing’’

     ‘’Alexandra is mysterious’’

     ‘’Filippo likes to play the drums’’

     ‘’Leo likes to scream’’

     ‘’Margarida is sugar’’

     ‘’Philippe is funny’’

     ‘’Daniel is clean’’

     ‘’Rita likes to paint’’

Even now when writing them down, the assumptions are really funny and surprising.

 

We found out more about ourselves and a lot more of what we want in this last month in Porto. So, thank you Edite for a wonderful workshop and giving us the opportunity to express ourselves freely. Also thank you for the well-deserved break from the daily routine.

On the construction site things are progressing quite fast. The roof is more than 3 quarters done; the only part that’s missing is the one on East side. In order to finish that part, we need to cover the outside wall of the adjacent building with corrugated metal sheets. We have the two skylights already installed and we are getting ready for the future works.

A general view of the top floor in Rua da Reboleira No.42

The big skylight is now in place

The timber and metal structure of the roof in full view

The east slope of the roof and the neighbour's wall that needs to be waterproofed

The tiles keep being added to the roof

In the meanwhile, back at the office, we have been working on a new assemblage concept for the A!Box. The team has to come together once again to finish this task, as it is running since the day that the first team started thinking about it. We are feeling optimistic about this new concept because it simplifies the production and assemblage process, while also introducing customized options for the buyer/user.

The A!Box is a work in progress

As a part of our agreement with the very experimented carpenter João Pacheco, a personal facebook page is about to be born. We have also been talking about taking advantage of his expertise in order to build a 1:20 presentation model of our building.

João Pacheco visited the team on the construction site

So this is it for the past week. We will get back to you as soon as possible. Until then, Arrebita!