GONÇALO BYRNE ARQUITECTOS
GONÇALO BYRNE ARQUITECTOS
 

Lisbon, Portugal

2004-2020

 
 

co-author: BB Arquitectos (José Barra)

 

Photos: TIAGO CASANOVA

Reynaldo dos Santos Building

The Reynaldo dos Santos Building is part of the Lisbon School of Medicine at the University of Lisbon, situated near the Hospital de Santa Maria. The project dates back to 2004 when it was selected as the winning proposal in a competition organised by the University of Lisbon. Over the following years, several adjustments were made to refine the functional program, ensuring the building could accommodate teaching, research, and scientific as well as laboratory activities. Despite budgetary constraints, the building was designed to convey an innovative and forward-thinking image.

The building’s placement is harmoniously integrated into the slightly winding paths of the adjacent roads. Although appearing as a single sculptural volume with distinctive fringed tops resulting from dynamic vertical stratification, the structure is composed of two interlocking bodies connected by an interior passageway. This stratification, both vertical and horizontal, aligns with the functional requirements of the laboratory typology by separating the served spaces (laboratories, offices, classrooms, and services) from the servant spaces (corridors, infrastructure, etc.). This design approach also adapts to the gently curved geometry of the building, ensuring both functionality and aesthetic coherence.

The functional structure follows a distributive layout that ensures a clear hierarchy between sectors and floors. The ground floor houses the foyer and reception area, as well as the administration offices and shared spaces. The second floor is dedicated to teaching activities, featuring several fully equipped laboratories with autonomous access. Classrooms vary in size, accommodating 32 to 40 students each.

The third and fourth floors, designed with an identical structure, are allocated to research activities. These floors include a variety of laboratories with adjoining and interconnected offices. Several specialised rooms for cell culture, accessible exclusively via the corridor, are strategically positioned. Adjacent to the laboratories, there are technical support areas such as a 4°C chamber, a storage room for -80°C freezers, and a confocal microscopy room.

The longitudinal façades feature sparse openings to minimise direct sunlight exposure. A glazed wall between the two interlocking bodies enhances their formal autonomy while allowing diffused natural light to illuminate the interior passageway. The recessed positioning of the building's tops creates a “loosening” effect on the façades, forming a series of undulating planes. These planes, with their textured surfaces, varied colouring, and interplay of light, define the building’s sculptural aesthetic. When viewed from the adjacent medium-speed roads, particularly while driving, this dynamic image evokes the world of urban art, highlighting the connection between the institution's innovative character and the city of Lisbon

 
 

PORTUGUÊS

 

O Edifício Reynaldo dos Santos pertence à Faculdade de Medicina de Lisboa da Universidade de Lisboa,  inserindo-se no Campus desta numa localização próxima do Hospital de Santa Maria. O projecto remonta a 2004, tendo sido primeiro classificado no concurso promovido pela Universidade de Lisboa. Diversas alterações nos anos seguintes atrasaram a sua construção, ajudando, contudo, a especificar o programa funcional de acordo com as elevadas exigências das actividades de ensino e investigação de carácter científico e laboratorial. A estas, o edifício corresponde com uma imagem inovadora, não obstante os constrangimentos orçamentais. 

A implantação do edifício procurou raízes no traçado ligeiramente sinuoso das estradas adjacentes. Embora um volume único com presença escultórica, em que os topos se soltam em franjas resultantes de uma estratificação vertical dinâmica, o edifício é formado por dois corpos deslizantes, unidos por uma passagem interior. Esta estratificação (tanto vertical, como horizontal) corresponde à tipologia laboratorial solicitada, separando os espaços servidos (laboratórios, gabinetes, salas de aula, serviços, etc.) dos espaços servidores (corredores, infra-estruturas, etc.), enquanto se adapta à geometria curva do edifício. 

Exteriormente, as fachadas longitudinais são, praticamente, cegas, para minimizar a incidência directa do sol. Uma parede envidraçada entre os dois corpos deslizantes reforça a autonomia formal destes, ao mesmo tempo que traz uma luz natural difusa para a passagem interior. A posição recuada dos topos do edifício permite “soltar” as paredes longitudinais, formando um conjunto de planos ondulantes que, pela sua textura, coloração e luminosidade próprias, definem a imagem escultórica do edifício. De carro, das estradas semi-rápidas adjacentes, esta imagem remete, ainda, para o mundo da arte urbana, realçando a relação entre o carácter inovador da instituição e a cidade de Lisboa.