The competition asked for fresh ideas for an abandoned factory in the center of Guimarães.

In a post-european capital of culture period, where the investment in cultural infrastructures was giant, a school of arts was proposed. The objective would be that the old factory could have again a production line. In this case, it would produce the fuel that the city and the all new equipments needed: artists, thinkers, creatives.

The building remained almost untouched. only the damaged brick walls were removed and the interior was painted. all the windows were opened again.

In the large hangars light white abstract spaces were placed; those rooms would receive the new programs. The pace and scale defined two distinct spaces: the interior of the bubbles and the open space around them.

Different programs were organized between the three levels and the roof became a new balcony over the city.

It was desired for this to be a new school where the space for exchange of ideas would not only be the classroom but also the playground. A school where the teaching model would not be limited to the passage of information between teachers and students but instead by the dialogue between disciplines.

Between the white rooms a large playground/museum/living space was proposed.