University Campus Canteen

One of the nerve centres in terms of social and functional organisation of the University Campus is, of course, the canteen, a meeting place for all and from all areas of study. It is this celebration of the meeting that stands out in the daring design of the structure that visually sticks out in pillars, arches and the circular room, which creates the extremely high ceiling of the interior space. The materials also contribute to this celebration, particularly the hollow concrete block covered wall. Today referred to as the “Old Canteen”, it consist of two bodies in an inverted L shape. It is very urban in its form. One extreme faces onto Rua das Universidades, forming a plaza with a large entrance staircase; the alternative entrance features a more private garden with an outdoor seating area. The interior with its spacious vestibule providing access to the canteen space itself, whose ample space features a vaulted ceiling sustained by buttresses and pillars. The whole interior decoration was designed by the architects and features works of art by Domingos Soares Branco, Jorge Vieira, Rolando Sá Nogueira, Teresa Sousa and Vasco da Conceição.