João Bravo da Costa

The city of Santarém (80 km northeast of Lisbon) launched an ideas competition for the refurbishment of its bullring and the design of the surrounding area.

João Bravo da Costa and Tiago Simões submitted an entry for a multifunctional urban complex; the site was redesigned to stimulate constant and intensive use, with a focus on the local equestrian culture. To replace the existing, isolated bullring, one large envelope contains a loosely arranged, diverse architectural program.

Presentation booklet - SIL competition 2009 (screen)

Click the link above to view the presentation booklet on screen (text in portuguese).

In recent years, a few urban bullrings in the Iberian Peninsula have been converted into multifunctional venues with attached shopping centers. Spatially, they remain unconnected or indeed incongruous accumulations: an augmented arena plus a standard shopping center.

This proposal is an attempt at a typological reinvention of the outdated bullring. A single envelope is introduced to blend outdoor public space into indoor commercial space and into the events venue in a seamless spatial flow.

Inspired by the local culture of horsemanship and historical examples of equestrian activities in the urban realm, the proposal celebrates those activities (such as horse races and displays of riding skill) which presently do not have a wide public participation, with a view to using the urban space as a showcase of local culture to the world. Conversely, the multipurpose venue would bring a diverse offer of cultural events from the world into Santarém.