Vieiros Mines: beyond memory.

Vieiros and the Mining Complex are in decline, with few inhabitants and little activity, in contrast to the years of intense mining exploitation. The structures are completely abandoned, despite being rare heritage in the Portuguese territory. The challenge of the project was to combat the inertia, ensuring that its memories do not fade and bringing new life to the site while preserving the pre-existing elements and respecting them greatly. In short, the key issue was to adopt a sensible and sensitive strategy that would promote the requalification of Vieiros without disrespecting its essence.

The Mining Complex is the structuring element of the proposal with new constructions added. No major alterations are planned for the existing structures, only maintenance work. In a transformative gesture, a Museum and Residential Spaces are introduced, dispersed throughout the territory to allow the pre-existing structures to “breathe.” The Museum is strategically located near the bifurcation of the "Caminho das Minas de Vieiros", next to a water tank. The building consists of two overlapping parallelepipeds: the first is anchored to the hillside, piercing and carving its place, while the semi-buried volume supports the second, which extends beyond the hillside toward the tank, marking the building’s limit. The Museum resembles a cannon projecting beyond the hillside, a space transcending memory. As one descends, this volume is the first to emerge in the landscape. The first level of the Museum houses service areas and a multipurpose hall, with vertical access concentrated on the eastern end. The second level contains exhibition spaces, flanked by north and south galleries. At its easternmost end, the Cafeteria features a large opening that reconnects visitors with the landscape. Residential Spaces are spread along the hillside, following the land’s natural contours. Two structuring lines guide their placement: one aligned with the "Lavaria" and Medical Office, and another between this axis and a new structural road organizing access. To preserve the terrain, the new constructions are elevated above ground level, minimizing landscape alterations. New horizontal pathways extend existing routes, linking the "Caminho das Minas de Vieiros" to the Residences. Together, old and new paths unify the elements—those that remain and those added—into a harmonious composition.