The site Monastery competition by ArkxSite Architecture Competitions was to design a place of solitude and contemplation, a secluded place for inner reflection, and a platform for meditation using the tranquil Baralha Fortress in Cape Espichel, Portugal. The quietness and stillness within monastic walls and powerful natural scenery provide a profound and immersive experience within a serene atmosphere.
The design proposal is a play on the idea of shrink-wrapping as a form of preservation. This project “Frayed Lines” tries to wrap the ruins of the Baralha Fortress in a rigid case made of glass, not particularly true to the form of the ruins but with sensitivity and certain whimsical characteristics. It portrays a harmonious relationship between the historic and contemporary. This project questions the integrity of architectural facadism. By creating a face or facade over an existing building, we create a tension between what is perceived and what is real. A certain level of absurdity creeps in when a facade is left adrift, shored up by scaffolding, awaiting a new building to be constructed. The mass form occasionally “completes” the ruin while clearly differentiating it through the material dichotomy of the limitless and transparency of glass vs. the heaviness and solidity of the existing stone. Obviously, we are attuned to expect some relationship between fenestration and interior space which draws attention to it like a fluorescent light that is shone on the old, almost making it look like a sculpture in a gallery. This creates a play between architecture and sculpture that can partly be considered truthful.
