InNatur Nature Interpretation Centre

Our vision for inNATUR_2 Competition is located in an island full of bays, pebbles and beaches, called Berlengas Island. In the contrast between natural and artificial, we found São João Baptista Fortress. A strong, big and monumental construction that seems to emerge from the natural rocks of the middle of the water, reunites all the surrounding atmosphere of the island.

The strategy is to appropriate the landscape through a subtle intervention, trying to built as less as possible. Instead of a building, why not create an infrastructure that values the Fortress and connects it to the surrounding, giving more strength into this location? Therefore, we generate a big gesture from the landscape in a concentric movement till we reach our final point – the Fortress.

This action is materialized by Platforms creating the connection between different moments – the Water, the Island and the Fortress. The Platforms are paths, ramps to be explored by foot so we can manage to move between the water and the earth. We have three ending points: a Pier, the boats dock from where people arrive; a Belvedere Point in the end of one of the platforms; and the Fortress Point where our Hostel and Interpretative Centre takes place.

Our Hostel and Centre in the Fortress will reuse some buildings of the Fortress, being a way of revalue our Patrimony and as a different interpretation of Sustainability. The surrounding skeleton that shapes this Monument will incorporate the Hostel and all the Reception and common areas of both proposed programs. The peak of the intervention, the Epicenter of the circular movement will create an independent construction – the Interpretative Center, a Tower that is formed by different sized boxes, will reflect the exercise of looking outside from the center the entire Project.