Hotel megastructures: the Balaia “turn key” experience in Portugal

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DOI:

https://doi.org/10.52200/60.A.ABU47U6X

Keywords:

Modern Movement, Modern architecture, Modern housing

Abstract

The Balaia Hotel (1964–1968) near Albufeira, in the Algarve, designed by Francisco Conceição Silva and Maurício de Vasconcellos, is one of the first and most iconic seaside holiday megastructures built in Portugal. In its territorial approach, physical dimension and range of amenities, it represents a new stage of development in seaside tourism accommodation facilities. A self-contained and self-sufficient structure that shapes its own landscape. Also, the “turn key” commission implied the transition from the small-scale architecture office to the multidisciplinary design and planning firm, revolutionizing the Portuguese architectural culture and professional practice. This essay addresses the impact of the Balaia Hotel on the traditional structures of architecture production and, consequently, on the disciplinary debate of the 1960s in Portugal.

How to Cite

Lobo, S. (2019). Hotel megastructures: the Balaia “turn key” experience in Portugal. Docomomo Journal, (60), 42–49. https://doi.org/10.52200/60.A.ABU47U6X

Published

2019-07-01

Issue

No. 60 (2019): Architectures of the Sun

Section

Essays

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Copyright (c) 2019 Susana Lobo

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Plaudit

Author Biography

Susana Lobo, University of Lisbon

(b. Lourenço Marques, Portugal, 1973) Architect (2002) and PhD in Architecture (2013), University of Coimbra. She is Assistant Professor at the Department of Architecture of the University of Coimbra and member of the Coimbra Studio PhD program. Her research interests focus on Portuguese Architecture, Urbanism and Design of the 20th century, with expertise on tourism and leisure infrastructure. On these topics she has published, curated, organized and supervised several books, articles, exhibitions, scientific events and academic theses. She is researcher at CITUA– IST/UL (Centre for innovation in territory, urbanism and architecture – Superior Technical Institute/Lisbon University) and associate researcher at CES-UC (Centre of Social Studies – Coimbra University).

References

AAVV, Francisco da Conceição Silva arquitecto: 1922/1982, Lisboa, SNBA/AAP, 1987.

BARATA, Paulo Martins, “Conceição Silva: Poética sem Retórica”, Prototypo, No. 4, Novembro 2000, 39–69.

DUARTE, Carlos, “Hotel da Balaia: Comentário por Carlos Duarte”, Arquitectura, No. 108, Março-Abril 1969, 69/96.

FIGUEIRA, Jorge, “Nuno Portas, Hestnes Ferreira, Conceição Silva: Sobressaltos em Lisboa, anos 1960”, Revista Crítica de Ciências Sociais, No. 91, Coimbra, CES, 2010, 77-89.

LEITE, Inês, Francisco da Conceição Silva: Para uma compreensão da obra e do grande atelier/empresa - 1946/1975, master thesis, Lisboa, FCSH - Universidade Nova de Lisboa, 2007.

LOBO, Susana, “(Des)Encontro de Franciscos”, Arquitectura Ibérica, No. 29, Lisboa, Caleidoscópio, 2008, 4–9.

LOBO, Susana, “Tracing the Edge: Portuguese Coastal Tourism Planning and Architecture of the 1960s”, in GOSSEYE, Janina & HEYNEN, Hilde (eds.), Architecture for Leisure in Post-War Europe 1945-1989, Leuven, KU Leuven, 2012, 14–31.

TAVEIRA, Tomás, “Hotel da Balaia”, Arquitectura, No. 108, Março/Abril 1969, 53–67.

TOSTÕES, Ana, “Estilo Internacional, turismo e transformação do território ou as ‘nuvens negras’ profetizadas por Keil do Amaral”, in Arquitectura moderna y turismo: 1925-1965: Actas IV Congreso Fundación docomomo Ibérico, Valencia, Fundación docomomo Ibérico, 2004, 205–210.