Science Museum in Coimbra

A lighthouse that would illuminate Coimbra city with the light of knowledge.

Coimbra University organised an international competition to extend the new Museum of Science in an ancient convent of the XVIII century. 7 teams of all whole Europe have been selected by their professional experience. With the intention to leave all the convent as an exhibition area we propose to construct a new modern glass building that, rising over the roofs of the old villa, allows to place the archives and stores in the basement, an auditorium open to one of the closers in the ground floor and offices and service dependences. Because of the narrow streets of the old town the new building would never be apparent form the historical city, but form the new one, in the other side of the river. The building becomes a lighthouse, illuminating the city with the light of knowledge and would become a symbol of the new Coimbra. The jury commented that Coimbra didn’t need any more symbols.