Casa da Memória

Project Description

The Casa da Memória is located in a central area of the city of Guimarães, in an old industrial building, the Pátria factory. This city has an ancient culture, strongly connected to the material and immaterial historical heritage. In order to help preserve such a rich heritage, a reference centre for culture, history and local identity was created, the Casa da Memória. This building serves the preservation of the city’s cultural heritage and is also a place for creative production within the city centre. This building adds an unusual cultural space to the city of Guimarães.
The architectural solution unites the Pátria factory group of industrial buildings. A newly created pedestrian pathway that blends into the existing urban fabric crosses the vacant industrial spaces among the buildings, shortening routes through the city. A new square has been created, a public space that stimulates the senses through water and vegetation. This outdoor space can be used as an extension for events taking place inside the building.
In the interior, the old industrial building now houses spaces devoted to creative production and the exhibition of the important heritage of the city of Guimarães. By preserving its original form, the setting upholds the memory of the old industrial spaces of the city.