Municipal Council of Santa Maria da Feira

Santa Maria da Feira, Portugal

More than a new institutional headquarters, the project proposes a new urban centre for Vila da Feira. The City Hall, a new plaza and a garden transform a fragmented area on the western side of the city, establishing continuity between architecture, public space and the surrounding urban fabric.

The building defines the boundaries of the new plaza and establishes a new urban front, while the organisation of the outdoor spaces connects the western area with the historic centre. The municipal programme — comprising workspaces and public services, an auditorium, meeting rooms, an exhibition gallery and a cafeteria — is organised around a sequence of public and semi-public spaces, making the building permeable to the city.

The architecture combines a restrained expression with a monumental scale. Its volume and composition establish visual relationships with the city’s main landmarks, giving the new City Hall a distinct civic presence and reinforcing the transformation of this part of Vila da Feira.