Ramalde Sports Complex in Porto

About

The Lisbon firm Domitianus Arquitetura – led by Paulo Tormenta Pinto and Rosa Maria Bastos – carried out the project on the north part of the Ramalde Sport Complex in Porto. It involved the construction of a new field for rugby and soccer, an ancillary building with changing rooms and services, a covered grandstand, an athletics area, and a space specifically intended for archery. The Ramalde Sports Complex covers an area of approximately five hectares and was originally designed between 1952 and 1960 by architect Fernando Távora as part of the Ramalde Residential Unit. Subsequently, the FNAT (National Foundation for Joy at Work) modified the initial scheme with an ambitious plan for sports facilities, of which only the soccer stadium and tennis courts were actually built, leaving large areas undeveloped, especially to the north and south of the main premises. The new playing field is the structuring element of the entire project, both scale-wise and in terms of technical requirements. The rest of the spaces in the program are organized around this core. The ancillary building is directly integrated with the topographical modeling necessary for the construction of the field, gradually revealing its volume towards the south, where the main entrance is.