Former Mining Area of Urgeiriça – “A new skin that comes to life at night”
The new intervention at the former Mining Area of Urgeiriça, is located in Canas de Senhorim, municipality of Nelas, and was under the Environmental Requalification Program of the Old Industrial Area of Urgeiriça, promoted by EDM – Empresa de Desenvolvimento Mineiro S.A..
The requalification aimed to convert this historic and emblematic extraction area in Portugal into a new, renovated place and promote the testimony of the previous uranium mining, hence the History of Mining and its own legacy.
Atelier “Orgânica Arquitectura” was the responsible for this intervention, having requalified the old workshops of the uranium mines of Urgeiriça. The work and developed project have been already recognized in the specialised press and sectoral associations, as presented in the list of references below.
The architectural project consisted in uncovering the walls and roofs of the industrial buildings and reveal its steel structure, the network of infrastructures, the machines, the devices and the performative mechanisms that inhabit them, leaving their organization on display. Afterwards, an enclosure was developed, working as a protective shield, which acts as a natural light filter, yet allowing the interiors to breathe.
One of the spaces, the so-called CTW – Chemical Treatment Workshop is coated with the new “armour”, still keeping the memory of the past and honouring the mining activity.
The work operation included a set of necessary interventions for completing the environmental recovery of the former mining area of Urgeiriça, as contemplated in the Main Study of Radioactive Mineral Areas. This analysis has been subject to adjustments, in accordance with the objectives and goals established in the Director Plan of the Mining Area of Urgeiriça.
TECHNICAL INFO
Industrial Architecture
Location: Urgeiriça, Nelas – Portugal
Conception/Conclusion: 2015-2020
Gross Construction Area: 3500 m2
Project owner: EDM – Empresa de Desenvolvimento Mineiro S.A.
Architecture: “Arquitectura Orgânica” – Paulo Serôdio Lopes
Collaboration: José Roque, Vítor Sá
Engineering: Future Proman
Industrial Archeology: EDM – Empresa de Desenvolvimento Mineiro S.A.
Builder: Tomás de Oliveira, Almeida Cabral Brothers
Photography: Do Mal o Menos
LIST OF REFERENCES
worldarchitecture.org
archdaily.com
archello.com
metalocus.es
espacodearquitetura.com
diarioimobiliario.pt
https://www.diarioimobiliario.pt/Arquitectura/Antigas-Minas-de-uranio-da-Urgeirica-reabilitadas
publico.pt