‘alcatel head office’ by FVArquitectos, cascais, portugal images courtesy of FVArquitectos

portugese studio FVArquitectos has completed ‘alcatel head office’, the corporate headquarters for the telecommunication brand of the same name. located in cascais, portugal, the design is purist in its form, concealing almost entirely the organization and complexity of space inside.

FVArquitectos: alcatel head office side view

resting at a slight incline, the structure pierces through the landscape, propped into the sky by what appears to be a single sculptural staircase. abstractly mechanical is its appearance, the single volume is twofold in appearance, with contrasting surfaces that relate to the serenity or hustle of the nearby environment.

FVArquitectos: alcatel head office view of recessed ramp and stairway

a network of ramps, bridges and sunken passageways line both sides the unit, connecting various functions while creating a series of diverse transition spaces. looking to merge interior and exterior environments, the unit features a series of protruding and receding volumes that lie within the recessed, moat-like voids. 

FVArquitectos: alcatel head office view towards front of building

FVArquitectos: alcatel head office recessed volumes protrude and recede below ground level

FVArquitectos: alcatel head office entrance

FVArquitectos: alcatel head office (left) entrance (right) a sculptural staircase seems to prop the structure into the air

FVArquitectos: alcatel head office side elevation

FVArquitectos: alcatel head office floor plan / level 0

FVArquitectos: alcatel head office floor plan / level 1

FVArquitectos: alcatel head office elevation

FVArquitectos: alcatel head office elevation

FVArquitectos: alcatel head office section