Barbosa Guimarães Architects have made amazing use of the versatility of concrete in Porto, Portugal’s new Vodafone Headquarters. Versatility in form as well as versatility in program. The exterior concrete form creates a shell around the space within, which in conjunction with the two stairwells and three central pillars, is all the structure the place needs. This leaves the interior largely free of space-taking structure and open for function.
Presented with the intellectual problem that is the office typology, usually so linear and stale, the architects sought inspiration from arts such as sculpture, painting and photography which had already faced similar dilemmas. The result was a warping/distending of space, a throw out of balance, an approach of ‘many in motion’ rather than a single visage.
© Fernando Guerra | FG+SG
And the headquarters, with its undulating facets, eight floors (5 above, 3 below), and surrounding grounds, does indeed stand as ‘many in motion’ but also as ‘many being one’ and vice versa.
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© Fernando Guerra | FG+SG
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© Fernando Guerra | FG+SG
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© Fernando Guerra | FG+SG
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© Fernando Guerra | FG+SG
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© Fernando Guerra | FG+SG
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© Fernando Guerra | FG+SG
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© Fernando Guerra | FG+SG
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© Fernando Guerra | FG+SG
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© Fernando Guerra | FG+SG
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© Fernando Guerra | FG+SG
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© Fernando Guerra | FG+SG
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© Fernando Guerra | FG+SG
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© Fernando Guerra | FG+SG
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© Fernando Guerra | FG+SG
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© Fernando Guerra | FG+SG
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© Fernando Guerra | FG+SG
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© Fernando Guerra | FG+SG
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© Fernando Guerra | FG+SG
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© Fernando Guerra | FG+SG
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© Fernando Guerra | FG+SG
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© Fernando Guerra | FG+SG
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© Fernando Guerra | FG+SG
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situation plan
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section 11
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section 10
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section 09
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section 08
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section 07
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section 06
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section 05
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section 04
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section 03
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section 02
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section 01
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roof plan
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plan 08
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plan 07
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plan 06
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plan 05
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plan 04
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plan 03
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plan 02
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plan 01
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elevation 01
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details 20
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details 19
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details 18
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details 17
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details 16
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details 15
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details 14
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details 13
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details 12
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details 11
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details 10
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details 09
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details 08
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details 07
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details 06
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details 05
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details 04
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details 03
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details 02
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details 01