Gil Vicente Secondary School

As part of Lot 1 of the School Park Modernisation Programme for Secondary Education, the intervention in this prestigious school involved both the creation of new buildings on the external campus and the thorough renovation of the existing buildings' interiors, through reinforcements and the introduction of new structural elements. 

In buildings A, B, C and D, the original resistant masonry walls were maintained, as well as all the slabs and roofs. Building A, the building most affected by the intervention, was expanded with the construction of a lower floor, requiring the reinforcement and extension of the foundations of the existing pillars and the external walls of the adjoining buildings, using micropiles. Building B required partial demolition of the existing slab and structural reinforcement for the construction of a new staircase. The construction of the kitchen required the reinforcement of several pillars and walls of the building, in addition to the implementation of new reinforced concrete porticos integrated into the existing structure in order to accommodate the new architecture. Other interventions included widening classroom doorways and creating new openings. Arcades were closed off to create new classrooms and a new corridor, with openings in a retaining wall to access a new area within this building. The lowest floor was expanded to include the new kitchen.  Due to the installation of HVAC equipment on the mat slab, a new metal structure was implemented to withstand the additional stresses. 

In building C, part of the slab was demolished and reinforced to make way for a new staircase, in addition to widening the doorways and installing two lifts. In building D, the wooden roof was reinforced with metal elements in the trusses and joints. To reinforce seismic resistance, metal mesh and projected plaster were applied to the load-bearing walls of Blocks A and B, and metal bracing structures were created in the arches of the same blocks. Buildings E and F are new constructions. Building E, with two floors, includes classrooms, a theatre space and changing rooms. Building F has stands and a roof for the outdoor playing fields. 

One of the major challenges of this intervention was to reconcile works execution with the normal running of the school, ensuring that the refurbishment works were carried out with as little disruption as possible.  It should also be noted that the timescale for works was affected by archaeological finds during earthworks, adding an extra layer of complexity to the project. 

This intervention not only modernised the Gil Vicente Secondary School, but also preserved and enhanced its historical heritage, ensuring that the institution continues to be an educational and cultural landmark in Lisbon.