Dezeen Magazine

Garcia D’Orta Secondary School by Bak Gordon

Garcia D’Orta Secondary School by Bak Gordon

Narrow skylights create bands of light across the red bright ceiling of a sheltered school courtyard in Porto, Portugal.

Garcia D’Orta Secondary School by Bak Gordon

The covered terrace separates two new buildings designed by Portuguese architect Ricardo Bak Gordon at the Garcia D’Orta Secondary School.

Garcia D’Orta Secondary School by Bak Gordon

The first two-storey building houses a library and auditorium, while the second has a cafe-bar on the ground floor and study rooms above.

Garcia D’Orta Secondary School by Bak Gordon

The chunky canopy is suspended between the two buildings at first floor level and is the height of an entire storey.

Garcia D’Orta Secondary School by Bak Gordon

Another school building by Bak Gordon also features the colour red, except it is on the floors rather than the ceilings - see the story here and see all our stories about Bak Gordon here.

Garcia D’Orta Secondary School by Bak Gordon

Photography is by Fernando Guerra.

Here are some more details from Bak Gordon:


Garcia D’Orta Secondary School

The modernization project of the School Garcia de Orta, based on the construction of a new building, whose location, program and relationship with the existing built and empty spaces, can set a new centrality in the plot, providing the school new program areas essential to the new times.

Garcia D’Orta Secondary School by Bak Gordon

This building, placed longitudinally in relation to school grounds, and an intermediate elevation view of the morphology of the terrain, allows the creation of a covered outdoor plaza that will serve as the epicenter of the whole school life, and supports two built spaces where we find the library, auditorium, bar / cafeteria, laboratories as well as other support equipment.

Garcia D’Orta Secondary School by Bak Gordon

Location: Boavista, Porto
Design phase: 04.2008
Constrution phase: 2010-2011

Garcia D’Orta Secondary School by Bak Gordon

Client: Parque Escolar EPE
Architect: Ricardo Bak Gordon

Garcia D’Orta Secondary School by Bak Gordon

Collaborators: Luís Pedro Pinto, Nuno Velhinho, Pedro Serrazina, Sonia Silva, Vera Higino, Walter Perdigão
Engineering consultants: Estruturas BETAR, Infraestruturas RGA / BETAR, Paisagismo FCAP
General contractor: Cantinhos / ACF

Garcia D’Orta Secondary School by Bak Gordon

Site area: 26.250 m2
Built area: 3280 m2
Cost: 11 M.€

Garcia D’Orta Secondary School by Bak Gordon

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Garcia D’Orta Secondary School by Bak Gordon

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Garcia D’Orta Secondary School by Bak Gordon

Click above for larger image

Garcia D’Orta Secondary School by Bak Gordon

Click above for larger image

Garcia D’Orta Secondary School by Bak Gordon

Click above for larger image

Garcia D’Orta Secondary School by Bak Gordon

Click above for larger image

Garcia D’Orta Secondary School by Bak Gordon