Os quatro prémios Cultural Heritage – Europa Nostra atribuídos a Portugal são:
Categoria – Conservação
Liceu Passos Manuel – Lisboa
Chalet da Condessa de Edla – Sintra
Categoria – Serviço dedicado
Fundação Ricardo do Espírito Santo Silva – Lisboa
Categoria – Educação, formação e sensibilização
Projecto SOS Azulejo – Loure
Liceu Passos Manuel – Lisboa
“The Jury’s comment on this project was that rebuilding would have been too easy! The social and cultural development of future citizens can be enhanced by learning in a historic environment. The work done in this school proves that the introduction of present-day infrastructure and the necessary facilities to implement contemporary learning can be perfectly compatible with historic fabric. It was noted that not only have the historic elements been beautifully refurbished and reused, but also that original furniture was retained, thus adding positively to the creative adaptation of the older school buildings to future needs.”
Lyceum Passos Manuel is the earliest secondary school building in Portugal. It is part of a specific programme of educational structures built between the end of the 19th century and the early 20th century. Its cultural and historical significance can be seen in its location in the city of Lisbon and its architectural and aesthetic qualities. In addition, of course, its educational role carries significant emotional value for many generations of students, teachers and other staff.
Initially designed in 1882, with a final scheme by Rosendo Carvalheira in 1907, it opened in 1911. By 2007 it was badly in need of renovation and many of its facilities were by now obsolete and physically degraded. The intevention was carried out between 2008 and 2010 as part of a wider national modernisation programme aimed at providing 21st century learning environments. The process of restoration, conservation and the addition of new build aimed to retain the school’s cultural significance with the minmum intervention possible, and updated learning facilities to current educational standards and needs.
Chalet da Condessa de Edla – Sintra
“The Jury acknowledged the great charm and importance of this romantic building, and were impressed with its meticulous restoration following a fire in 1999. The restoration, carried out after detailed historical research and with help from the national conservation authorities and universities, demonstrates the power of example in post-fire reconstruction. The care taken to research in the most precise way the originality of the wood and plaster works, and the building details, such as the imitation timberwork and the cork detailing, is extraordinary. The educational potential of the building and its surroundings has been fully developed for use by teaching bodies at all levels.”
The Chalet is a romantic cottage (1864-69) built by King-Consort Ferdinand II and his second wife (Countess of Elda) in the park of Pena, within the Cultural Landscape of Sintra (UNESCO 1995). After the end of the Monarchy (1910) and decades of neglect, the building was destroyed by fire in 1999, with total collapse of roofs, floors, partition walls and balcony. With the help of an EEA Grant, the restoration project started in 2007 with a salvage operation, followed by study of the original building techniques and 3D modelling. Work started in 2010 to restore the chalet to its original condition: reinforcement of the masonry structures (arches); reconstruction of interior timber elements (pavements, partition walls, staircases, window/door frames, roofs); introduction of modern infrastructures (energy, water, sewage, heating, communications, fire protection, CCTV); conservation of external renders (which had been moulded and painted to imitate timber planks); restoration of the exceptional decoration in virgin cork; and interior conservation. The chalet has been open to the public since 2011.
Fundação Ricardo do Espírito Santo Silva – Lisboa
“The great initiative taken by this museum 60 years ago, to offer a high quality facility to train new craftspeople in a wide range of techniques required to restore and create a large variety of cultural heritage objects, made a huge impression on the Jury. The enthusiasm and the consistent competence, by means of which many techniques that would otherwise have been lost are now being passed on to future generation, is highly laudable.”
A guardian of the Portuguese cultural tradition in the field of art and traditional crafts, the Fondation Ricardo do Espirito Santo Silva, was established in 1953 as a teaching museum. Its task is to collect, revive, maintain and teach new generations the rigour and mastery acquired by the ancient masters. The aim is to safeguard these old methods and techniques, so as to pass them on to future generations, a centuries-old tradition that should be preserved. In its nineteen separate workshops – a true living museum – the mission is renewed daily with participating children, students and teachers, as well as visitors and tourists. Increasingly there is involvement too from contemporary artists and individuals who wish to learn a traditional craft. As well as safeguarding and handing on the techniques embedded in our cultural heritage, the policy ensures also the actual conservation and restoration of both artefacts and the intangible heritage, in both national and international contexts.
Projecto SOS Azulejo – Loures
“Cultural heritage is increasingly subject to theft and vandalism, and so the Jury was especially pleased to recognize a project which tackled this worrying trend. The SOS Azulejo Project, by making the identification and recovery of stolen tiles easier, is the result of effective cooperation between a museum, cultural heritage organisations, the republican guard and security police, as well as universities and local schools. The fact that they have accomplished so much without additional budget is an indication of the creativity, passion and dedication of the people involved.”
Portuguese historic and artistic tiles, ”azulejos”, stand out in the world cultural heritage for their special depth of design and colour. But they have been victims of massive losses in the last twenty years through of theft and lack of conservation. The Portuguese Judiciary Police Museum – PJPM – (in Portugal the Judiciary Police is responsible for tackling crimes related to cultural heritage) initiated the “Sos Azulejo Project”, to raise people’s awareness to the relevance of these dangers to this special area of Portuguese heritage. Since 2007, in partnership with various organizations – the former Ministry of Culture, two universities, local authorities and other police forces – several programmes have been launched, attaining important and measurable results in terms of the project’s aims and community impact. For example, there has been a decrease of c.80% in registered tile thefts; new regulations have been introduced prohibiting the demolition of tile-covered building façades in Lisbon; and buildings with important tile collections are now protected.
