ROMEIRA SCHOOL
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"Romeira is a small unspoiled village north of Santarém. Although there has been an economic growth in the area since several company's have moved their main production centres to the region, it's population has not increased in recent years. In part to counter-act this the city hall held a restricted competition to improve the local school accesses, playground areas and general conditions and to design a canopy to connect the kindergarten to the primary school.
After visiting the site our main concern was how to give coherence to the group of buildings, each built in different decades with very tight budgets, and how to enhance the public character of the school.
Going against the competition rules which defined the connection to be in the exact middle of the two existing buildings, we decided to place the canopy in the entrance of the school. By connecting not only the two buildings but also the street and extending the gesture to the outside, it was also possible to reinforce the presence of the school in the community.
In a mimic of the church cupola across the street, the top side of the canopy will be covered with an asphalt membrane covered with white marble dust, granting a discreet presence to the structure. Its underside, visible from the playgrounds, will be painted by a graffiti artist with a glossy paint colour gradient."
Source text EXTRASTUDIO