Redevelopment of the Rebelo da Silva Building, Lisbon

University of Lisbon

The project concerns the complete refurbishment of the Rebelo da Silva Building, belonging to the Instituto Superior de Agronomia, located in Tapada da Ajuda, Lisbon. The building was constructed in 1951, with the purpose of housing laboratories.

The building was originally designed as a research laboratory, a purpose it still serves today. The aim of the present intervention is to maintain its general use while adapting and upgrading it to meet current requirements for laboratory buildings, both functionally and technically, as well as in terms of comfort.

The proposed intervention preserves the overall architectural features of the building’s exterior, avoiding changes to its façades in order to maintain its identity.

The planned alterations include the creation of a new external emergency staircase, detached from the building. This staircase is considered essential, as it provides the least intrusive solution for creating an alternative emergency exit to the existing one.

A research laboratory centre such as the one intended for this building requires a significant load of technical installations, controlled environments with special characteristics — often highly specific — demanding particular HVAC systems. In addition, there are all the fluid networks associated with the varied types of research to be carried out.

To accommodate all these installations while also allowing for energy recovery and production systems, the proposal includes the construction of a recessed technical floor above the top level. A flat slab roof will be built, replacing the current timber-supported plaster ceiling of the second floor. The proposed technical installations, set back from the existing façade, will be enclosed within a structure surrounded by a metal louvre system, matching the profiles used for the external staircase.

It should be noted that the intervention on the roof will not be visible from any surrounding viewpoints, just as the current roof is not visible today.

Owner:

University of Lisbon

Location:

Lisbon

Construction Area:

802,05 m²

Project:

2022

Programme:

Rehabilitation Project of the Rebelo da Silva Building, Lisbon

Team:

Architecture

– João Cottinelli Telmo Pardal Monteiro – Architect

– Manuel Cottinelli Telmo Pardal Monteiro – Architect

– Tomás Pardal Monteiro – Architect

– Sónia Machado Mendes – Architect

– Bruna Duarte – Architect

– Marcelo Cardoso– Architect

– Francisca Caetano – Architect

– Marta Prata – Architect

Structure

– Profico, Lda

Mechanical Installations and Equipment

– José Rosendo– Engineer

Water and Sewerage Installations and Equipment

– José Rosendo– Engineer

Gas Installation and Equipment

– José Rosendo– Engineer

Electrical Installations and Equipment

– Garcia Vazquez, Engenharia e Gestão de Projecto, Lda.