Montijo Municipal Gallery’s Garden, In response to the problem of accessibility to the Montijo Municipal Gallery building, the introduction of a lift in a 19th century building in the heart of the city center was the starting point for the construction of this small public work, an 80 m2 garden.
© Francisco Nogueira
The project takes advantage of a portion of land adjacent to the gallery building and proposes the construction of a contained garden, a kind of ‘hortus conclusus’, in two outdoor ‘rooms’ of different altimetries capable of offering spaces for mental relaxation in an atmosphere that is both public and highly intimate.
© Francisco Nogueira
The relationship that is established between the garden and the city provokes a sense of curiosity, only allowing a glimpse of each other through a metal railing placed at the apex of the building. The walls, plastered with a slightly sandy cement mortar, give cohesion to the space, allowing the values of scale, proportion, light and shadow to stand out.
Project Info
Architects: Ricardo Bak Gordon,Rui Mendes Arquitectura
Country: Portugal, Montijo
Area: 861 ft²
Year: 2024
Photographs: Francisco Nogueira
Architecture Coordination: Daniela Cunha
Collaboration: Marianna Angelucci, Pietro Dardano
Client: Câmara Municipal do Montijo
Contractor: OMEP – Obras, Medições e Projectos, Lda.
Supervision / Construction Management: Câmara Municipal do Montijo
Foundations And Structures: Valeng
Plumbing Installations: Vertente Rabisco
Electrical Installations: CPX
Landscaping: FC-AP
Sophie Tremblay is a Montreal-based architectural editor and designer with a focus on sustainable urban development. A McGill University architecture graduate, she began her career in adaptive reuse, blending modern design with historical structures. As a Project Editor at Arch2O, she curates stories that connect traditional practice with forward-thinking design. Her writing highlights architecture's role in community engagement and social impact. Sophie has contributed to Canadian Architect and continues to collaborate with local studios on community-driven projects throughout Quebec, maintaining a hands-on approach that informs both her design sensibility and editorial perspective.