Oriente Museum








Description:
The original complex dates back to 1940, consisting of reinforced concrete frame structures, with a basement, ground floor and six upper floors. The building has a rectangular area of 2622 m², composed by three buildings (A, B and C), separated by joints that allow relative displacements between adjacent buildings. The Pedro Alvares Cabral buildings, initially reserved for codfish storage, were subjected, since their construction, to actions higher than those required by a museum, so the structural elements are, in general, oversized. The original building had the same development at various levels, in which the collumns, slabs and beams were designed only for static loads.
Main pathologies:
The original columns, despite being formed by large cross-sections did not meet the safety requirements regarding ultimate limit states (in particular, those related to seismic actions).
Main interventions:
The intervention included the strengthening of the structure in zones where, for architectural purposes, some columns were removed, and in areas subjected to the creation of an auditorium. This facility is composed of prestressed beams which support its benches and roof and several steel structures forming stairs and walkways.
The existing building had a large number of columns incompatible with the new role of the museum. For this reason the architectural project entailed the elimination of some columns, thus doubling the original span. Therefore, a system designed to replace the pillars was developed, through the creation of vertical deviation forces achieved by a system of exterior prestress. After the installation of each system, the column below was cut with disc.
Property owner:
Museu do Oriente
Architecture:
OXALIS/JLCG
Construction:
Luseca
End of works:
2008
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