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Harbour Control Tower, Lisbon
Architect
Goncalo Byrne, Lisbon
Construction Company
ZN – Revestimentos de Zinco, LDA., Maia, P
Material
TECU® Classic
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The new harbour control tower occupies a unique position in its environment. The tower forms the final link in a chain of historic buildings along the harbour foreshore.These buildings were built to symbolise economic and military supremacy by combining functionality with strong visual presence.This most recent addition reflects a more modern and unobtrusive approach to surveillance in an age of electronic media.The tower rises from a man-made peninsula especially created at the mouth of the Rio Tejo. It leans toward the river as both a warning and a welcome. The top three storeys of transparent glass complete the classic architectonic order by capping the horizontal solid central section clad in TECU® Classic bright rolled copper panels.
This central section is set upon a massive pedestal of natural white stone. The façade is protected from the harsh rays of the Iberian sun by horizontal, slatted copper shades. A permanently-manned harbour radar control centre operates around the clock behind these shades.
During daylight hours, the two materials of the façade create a delicate filigree barrier between the tower and the sky. At night, the bright lights appear to erupt from its core and transform the tower into a beacon, signalling both danger and protection alike.
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