The Atelier Nuno Valentim Arquitetura has been distinguished with the Gulbenkian Heritage Award 2026 for their rehabilitation project of Quinta de Crastro in Vila do Conde. The project transformed an old 19th-century agricultural estate into the headquarters of the Biopolis Association, dedicated to biodiversity and ecosystem research. The award, presented by the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, recognizes the quality of the intervention and its ability to give new uses to built heritage while preserving its identity.
The project, led by architect Nuno Valentim, involved rehabilitating a set of agricultural buildings, including a manor house and support buildings, organized around a courtyard with granite threshing floors and a granary. The intervention aimed to understand and preserve the existing structures, repair what was possible, and adapt the buildings to current needs. This approach established a continuity between the different times of the place, rather than reproducing the past or contrasting with the new.
The rehabilitation preserved original features such as woodwork, stucco ceilings, and painted wood floors in the manor house. The old drying rooms' wooden slat facades were reinterpreted as movable shading devices. The former House of the Threshing Floor was converted into a cafeteria, reinforcing the courtyard's role as a meeting and social space. The project integrated offices, workspaces, common areas, and specialized laboratories into the originally agricultural buildings.
The transformation of Quinta de Crastro into a scientific research headquarters presented particular challenges. Nuno Valentim emphasized that the project confirms a fundamental principle of their practice: even the most demanding programs can find a place in existing buildings. The architectural heritage and agricultural memory of the site find a new possibility of use, linked to scientific research and biodiversity.
The intervention extended to the exterior spaces, with a landscape architecture project by Paulo Farinha Marques and Manuel Gentil Rebelo. The atelier highlighted that this project continues a working relationship initiated in 2010 between Nuno Valentim, Nuno Ferrand, and Paulo Farinha Marques in the Porto Botanical Garden, which has brought together architecture, heritage, biodiversity, and scientific research.
The Gulbenkian Heritage Award – Maria Teresa and Vasco Vivalva 2026 was attributed to the project for its ability to conciliate heritage with scientific investigation. The atelier congratulated itself on the award, stating that it recognizes the quality of the intervention and its capacity to give new uses to built heritage while preserving its identity and ensuring its continuity.
The project was photographed by João Ferrand, and the atelier's work has been acknowledged for its innovative approach to heritage rehabilitation and its contribution to the convergence of architecture, heritage, biodiversity, and scientific research.
Key points
- The Atelier Nuno Valentim Arquitetura won the Gulbenkian Heritage Award 2026 for the rehabilitation of Quinta de Crastro.
- The project transformed an old agricultural estate into the headquarters of the Biopolis Association for biodiversity and ecosystem research.
- The award recognizes the quality of the intervention and its ability to give new uses to built heritage while preserving its identity.
