The largest metropolis in Southern Brazil, Porto Alegre, is located at the junction of five different rivers. This junction forms the Guaíba River, which is also referred to as Guaíba Lake by locals. An area historically loved by both city dwellers and tourists has been brought back to life by the recent redesign of the waterfront.
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In the 1940s the city was hit by a devastating flood and a wall was built around most of the waterfront, obliterating the close connection with water and nature. Locals continued to visit and spontaneously use the remaining natural areas across from the water for gathering, resting and watching the sunset.
Based on the people’s instinctive behavior over the decades, the City Government of Porto Alegre started a conversion plan in 2011 to overcome the state of stagnation and decay of the site. The project was completely financed by the Development Bank of Latin America and the internationally famous Brazilian urban planner Jaime Lerner was commissioned for it.
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Oscar Coelho, the local project coordinator, says: “The project crystallized the natural vocation of the site. And it defined a consistent and comfortable ambiance to watch the sunset, with decks extending over the water and linear ergonomic benches in front of it, floating walkways, concrete spectator stands that follow the silhouette of the park and delineate sitting areas but also negotiate the existing elevation changes.”
Diverse and dynamic
The site’s topography and grading were essential data elements and the kick-off for the creation of a variety of spaces extending along the waterfront.
The existing change in elevation between the street and the water levels is 4.7 meters. This difference facilitated a diverse and dynamic project: by generating a stepped waterfront and an upper esplanade, the site now offers a wide range of park experiences, different perspectives and river views. At 2.5 meters above water level (the official local flood stage), a sturdy platform was defined as the site’s main pathway, the backslopes were stabilized with gabions and indigenous riparian plants were sowed.
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The landscape plan and planting list were thought out considering the diversity of levels and the strong necessity of a riparian habitat. In the upper esplanade, the incorporation of 100% native trees seeks to establish a green corridor, which can contribute to connecting the local fauna population.
Art as part of everyday life
The 2.5-meter level offers cafés, vendor stands and restrooms. Housed in a series of semi-buried constructions, these commercial spaces accentuate the linear park and follow the organic forms of decks, paths and over-water walkways.
Historical buildings and artistic installations were integrated into the renovated area, making art part of everyday life. A series of sports areas and fields round off the project. Once all three planned stages are completed, the waterfront will be an uninterrupted green strip in front of the city offering a wide range of public activities and areas.
A final touch of magic to the waterfront
The lighting plan extending along the first 300 meters of the upper esplanade provides a romantic and enchanting effect: when the sun sets over the horizon, thousands of tiny lights suddenly appear on the pavement. Referred to as “star-filled floor”, this segment has fiber optic lights integrated into the concrete, which turn on automatically when natural sunlight decreases. Adding a final touch of magic to the waterfront, these lights have become a new hallmark of the site and extend the range of possibilities by allowing locals to use the area at all hours.
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Location: Porto Alegre, Brazil
Date of completion: 2018
Project size: 5.70 hectares / Length of first stage: 1.3 kilometers/ Total length: 8 kilometers.
Designers: Jaime Lerner Arquitetos Associados (Curitiba, Brazil)
Project manager and Construction consultant: Fernando Canalli
Landscape and environment consultant: Carlos Oliveira Perna
Porto Alegre City Hall’s coordination / Construction management: Oscar Coelho
Design team: Architects Kawahara, Bechara, De Rossi, Daher, Guerra, Popp, Roorda.
Client: Porto Alegre City Hall (Prefeitura Municipal de Porto Alegre)
Construction works: Consórcio Orla Mais Alegre
Lighting: Luzurbana Engenharia
Espaço Unisinos is a new campus in Porto Alegre. Its refreshingly modern architectural image and composition of open spaces has transformed the urban dynamics of the residential area where it was integrated. Commissioned by Unisinos (Universidade do Vale do Rio do Sinos), a traditional local university run by the Jesuits, the plan includes an educational building and a theater, as well as commercial and parking spaces.
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Originally, the project was the result of a close competition between five architectural offices in Porto Alegre, with the proposed site being the vacant space adjacent to a Jesuit school. After the team from AT Arquitetura won the competition, the university’s authorities changed the building site. Another larger site was selected, located right in front of the school and a kindergarten, which would eventually be renovated.
Aura of openness and balance
One of the main conditions for the new project was to preserve the open views from the school and to get the most out of the building ground, according to the permitted floor area ratio and heights. The result is an eight-story educational building located in one corner of the site, not visible from the school and secluded from the street, as well as a rather compact project extending along the rest of the site. An aura of openness and balance is achieved, with commercial spaces, walking areas, terraces, an access esplanade and a semi-buried courtyard.
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Most of the retail stores and small cafés face a walkway that is half covered by a 7-meter-high pergola and borders a large wooden terrace overlooking some lush private gardens. The tree crowns form part of the terraces, providing a wonderfully natural environment for the numerous students and visitors. Along with the custom-designed outdoor furniture, it provides them with a space to meet and relax in the sun.
In order to avoid a retail-related image as the main facade, the project features an 80-meter-long and 11-meter-high screening green wall exhibiting a two-colored composition of native plants (Cuphea gracilis and Tradescantia). Behind it, another semi-roofed linear area offers spaces for sitting and relaxing.
Outdoor theater
The entire project adapts to the street’s change in elevation, creating different levels and stepped terraces. At street level, a large esplanade allows access to all of the spaces making up the educational-cultural compound. On one side, a semi-buried courtyard provides sunlight to the underground spaces, the library and students’ recreation area. However, the most interesting function of this open space is as an outdoor theater. Connected to the auditorium’s stage via a removable 14-meter-wide door, it offers an ideal setting for open-air performances.
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The auditorium has a total indoor capacity of 470 seats. Appearing in the architectural composition as a separate volume, the theater has independent access and a green roof, which can be appreciated from the upper floors, adding to the area’s new urban image. This roof is completely planted with Boldo (Peumus boldus), an aromatic indigenous plant that grows abundantly in Porto Alegre.
The project required the inclusion of 1,000 parking spaces provided on two underground levels and two levels above the street, using the change in elevation for creation of the terraces. Across the street, an architectonically impressive footbridge spans the existing avenue. The footbridge provides a pedestrian connection for people arriving by bus and connects the university’s underground parking with the existing school.
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Location: Porto Alegre, Brazil
Date of completion: 2018
Project size: 56,000 m2
Designers: AT Arquitetura
Project managers: Andre Detanico, Tarso Carneiro, Mauricio Ceolin
Landscape plan: Landscape Sul
Lighting plan: Cristina Maluf
Client: Universidade do Vale do Rio do Sinos / Associação Padre Antonio Vieira
Photography: Marcelo Donadussi
