The project transforms a sloped, vacant plot into a sustainable hub for research and innovation. Responding to a brief that demanded high standards of sustainability, the building is constructed in timber with recycled concrete retaining walls.

Both the wooden structure and the metal façade are designed as modular systems, enabling future expansion without the loss of any existing components.

PV panels are fully integrated into the architecture, serving both as a defining design feature and as a functional element. They provide sunshading to the interiors while ensuring the building achieves complete energy self-sufficiency. Inside, the ground and first floors accommodate laboratories, flexible workspaces, and shared facilities, all organized with clarity and transparency to foster collaboration.

On the second floor, a bridge links directly to the existing CTCP headquarters, merging the two buildings into a unified campus and ensuring comfortable, efficient circulation between them.

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STATUS: 1st Prize (2025). Execution phase.

TEAM un-icon: Joana Azevedo & Matteo Missaglia, Ivan Sera, Tuana Emirgan

LOCATION: São João da Madeira (PT)

STRUCTURAL ENGINEER : Eleven Steps

MEP ENGINEER: PN10

VISUALIZATION: Bisto + Unbuiltmatters