Bairro Padre Cruz Market Hall, Lisbon
The renovation of Bairro Padre Cruz Market Hall is defined by a careful balance between preservation and renewal. The existing building is restored using local, mineral-based materials, while a contemporary hybrid timber structure introduces a new architectural layer that unifies the market and expands its programme. This dialogue between old and new reinforces the building’s social and cultural role within the neighbourhood.
Restoring the Existing Structure
The original stone walls are structurally reinforced and finished with roughcast plaster and ceramic tiles, maintaining the robust character of the market hall. Floors and plinths are clad in regional lioz limestone, grounding the building in its local context and material heritage.
A Lightweight Roof Structure That Creates Flexibility
Above the restored base, a new lightweight roof structure defines the transformation of the market hall. Yellow-painted steel portal frames span the largest distances and are braced with timber purlins, creating a structurally efficient system capable of carrying suspended shop volumes. This approach frees the ground floor for flexible market use and allows the building to adapt to changing community needs, while visually unifying the interior spaces beneath a single roof.
Lunawood Thermowood as Envelope and Screen
Lunawood Thermowood plays a central role in the new upper structure and façade. Used in slatted screens and cladding elements, Lunawood battens provide effective solar shading while allowing air and light to filter naturally through the building. Its exceptional durability and dimensional stability make it well suited to Lisbon’s climate, delivering long-lasting performance without chemical treatments.
A Breathable, Sustainable Market Hall
Together with recyclable polycarbonate panels lining the inner façade, the Lunawood screens form a double-skin envelope that ensures weather protection, natural ventilation and filtered daylight. This layered system recalls the open and breathable qualities of traditional market halls, while the hybrid timber structure supports ecological and economic sustainability. Over time, the Lunawood surfaces weather naturally to a soft silver-grey, adding warmth, depth and a lasting connection to nature at the heart of the community.
