ArchiTourAlgarve - Architecture Walking Tour Olhão: Monuments, Modernism & More

Architecture Walking Tour Olhão: Monuments, Modernism & More Monuments:

In the municipality of Olhão, there are significant monuments and places that stand out due to their historical importance and unique architecture, highlighting their role in shaping the town's past. Discovering these sites is key to understanding Olhão.

Modernism:

The modernist movement in Olhão, spanning from 1925 to 1965, is distinguished from other modernist expressions in the Algarve by its unique contribution to the "Cubist City" concept. This distinctive style, characterized by North African white, flat-roofed houses with small structures on top and can only be found in Olhão (& Fuzeta), making it a rare architectural phenomenon in Portugal.

You can find these structures in the oldest neighborhoods of Baretta and Levante, as well as in the later-developed area of Mundo Novo. Key elements that define the “Modernism of Olhão” include the "cubist building tradition," a thriving fish-canning industry that began in the late 19th century, and a influx of returning emigrants from the "New World," who brought with them fresh, modern perspectives on architecture.

Although renowned modernist architects were not realy present in Olhão, their influence on local engineers and builders is evident in the town's architectural style. Notable architects contributed to the design of affordable housing projects such as Bairro de Pescadores, Bairro Económico, and Horta da Cavalinha. The names of prominent architects can also be found on several residential buildings at the beginning of Horta da Cavalinha. Additionally, the anonymous or engineer-designed "modernist buildings" are scattered throughout various larger and smaller residential structures along significant avenues like Avenida da República and other main access roads to the city.

Pioneers of Modern Architecture in the Algarve:

Among the pioneers of modern architecture in the Algarve is architect Manuel Gomes da Costa, one of three young architects influenced by modernism during their studies at the University of Porto, who later introduced it to the Algarve. Carlos Chambers Ramos, married to a woman from Olhão, was his professor at Porto. Carlos Ramos designed Bairro Operário on Rua Martins Garrocho (now demolished) for his brother-in-law's canning company, Lucas & Ventura, in Olhão.

Manuel Gomes da Costa had a practice in Faro and was the most prominent and influential of the three architects, completing around 400 projects throughout his career. His fellow pioneers are architect Manuel Laginha from Loulé and António Vicente de Castro from Portimão. Gomes da Costa's admiration for the works of Le Corbusier is reflected in his design projects, particularly in his early works. In Olhão, he designed both a residential house, a storeroom and some apartment blocks. The "Centro de Assistência Social Polivalente" in Olhão is one of the outstanding projects by architect Manuel Laginha, who created similar designs for other cities in the Algarve in collaboration with architect Rogério Martins.

Text and images are partially derived from the Exhibition “O Modernismo em Olhão,” held from December 6, 2019, to February 7, 2020, at Re-Creativa República, in partnership with ANAFA ASSOCIAÇÃO FOTOGRAFOS DO ALGARVE - TAVIRA.

Curators: Isabel Macieira / Will Köhlen