Location: Lisbon, Portugal.

Architect: RISCO.

The Convento do Beato complex is a dozen or so buildings that date from various eras. The project developed by RISCO for Beato Lux includes the remodelling of the Events Centre and the renovation/refurbishment of the remaining buildings for new uses. Work began in 2018 and is scheduled for completion in 2024. The most important transformation took place in the cloister, which had been covered by a pyramid-shaped roof, which did not offer the smoke clearance or thermal and acoustic insulation required for this type of use. The design for a new ceiling at the Convento do Beato was based on a long process of technical and formal research. The solution adopted was a system of orthogonally arranged trusses that form a set of “honeycombs” lit from above by skylights. Air-conditioning ducts are built into the periphery of the structure. The contrast between the vertical planes, of worked stone, and the ceiling, of smooth, white plaster, adds value to the space, introducing a complexity that did not exist before. This was an extensive and complex job that required frequent and ongoing adaptations as the work progressed.

Photo credit: Carolina Delgado.