Ponte Cais

Lisbon, south shore: the estuary at the centre

von Nadine Bein

Hochschule:

Università della Svizzera italiana Accademia di architettura

Abschluss:

Master

Präsentation:

06.06.2025

Lehrstuhl:

Atelier Miller, Quintus miller

Software:

Archicad, Rhino, Blender

Set in Alcochete, the project reinterprets the role of the pier as a historical link between the fishing village, the waterway and the former trade route of the Tagus estuary. Today, the massive seawall and a pier that has lost its function largely interrupt the connection to the water.

The floating structure, which constantly adapts to the tides, responds to this deficit by extending the pier into deeper waters in order to create a permanent ferry connection to Lisbon. At the same time, the artificial island becomes a public space: an open area for appropriation, complemented by a multifunctional building with a café, bar, restaurant and ferry station as a site-specific typology.

The shell-like shape allows small fishing boats to dock, as well as ground-level access to the ferry. The special materiality of the Azulejos, traditional Portuguese tiles, merge with the play of light of the Tejo as a symbol of Alcochette's new identity in the estuary.

Text von Nadine Bein.