4/5 João X. 1 year ago on Google • 285 reviews
Beautiful
modernist
building
made
of
an
organic
composition
of
hexagonal
modules,
big
wide
windows,
and
concrete
finish.
The
original
project
was
by
arch.
Nuno
San
Payo.
At
the
main
entrance,
there
is
an
interesting
ceramic
mural
by
Maria
Emília
Silva
Araújo.
Facing
the
lake,
in
the
southern
side
of
the
building,
is
the
iconic,
free
hand,
brazilian
modernist
reminding,
concrete
canopy.
The
building
was
originally
built
as
a
dinning
hall
and
tourist
reception
center.
During
the
70s,
it
was
transformed
to
become
a
small
commercial
center,
with
restaurant,
shops
and
a
cinema
called
Caleidoscópio.
All
closed
doors
but
for
a
bookstore
focused
on
university
subjects.
In
2016
the
building
reopened
as
an
academic
student
center,
managed
by
the
University
of
Lisbon,
with
a
refurbishment
project
by
arch.
Pedro
Lagrifa
Oliveira.
The
refurbishment
was
financed
by
McDonald's
which
occupies
a
fifth
of
the
building
with
a
restaurant
and
drive
through.
The
project
recovered
the
outside
original
appearance
of
the
building,
which,
through
time,
had
been
altered
with
additions
and
annexes.
Even
though
the
building
has
been
returned
to
its
former
glory
and
is
alive,
its
interiors
are
no
longer
accessible
to
the
general
public,
which
can
now
only
enter
the
McDonald's
dinning
hall.
1 person found this review helpful 👍