Courthouse de Olhão - architect Raul Rodrigues Lima - 1963

This Courthouse from 1959 is designed by architect Raul Rodrigues Lima. As a 'state architect', he designed courthouses and other government buildings all over the country. His courthouses are usually characterized by monumentality and classicism.

At the design for this Olhão courthouse he found no reason to change this point of view because of the 'cubist' building tradition of Olhão. The only concession at his first design was to add a flat roof. When he presented it to the CSOP (building department) it was Eugenio Correia that considered that the design did not respond to the requested building style that goes with Olhão.

Raul Lima was urged to make a new and more regional design. It resulted in the current building which has - as the most important adaptation - two panels with figurative mosaics, that should meet more closely with the fisch & seafood tradition of the city of Olhão.

Photograph: Cláudia Perdigão a.o.