7 Key Insights to Understand the Co-creation Process and Innovative Solutions in Viana S+T+ARTS

This project originates from the old slaughterhouse, Matadouro Municipal, in the city of Viana do Castelo, a building constructed in 1926. Throughout its existence, its activity grew, even absorbing functions from other regional slaughterhouses that were closing down, until it finally ceased operations around 40 years ago due to stricter health regulations, remaining unused until today.

The building is well-known in the city, with a distinctive and recognizable presence, further highlighted by its deteriorated state over time. The renovation of this space has been a pending issue for the city, despite various attempts by the Câmara Municipal de Viana do Castelo over the years to find a new use for it during its period of disuse.

Inspired by the New European Bauhaus, the challenge now extends beyond architectural, constructive, and physical aspects, transforming the project into more than just renovation, preservation, and renewal. It involves addressing the purpose behind it, the building's original identity, its essence, and its projection into its new uses. These interconnected factors are tackled through co-creation and innovation in Viana S+T+ARTS.

The old Matadouro Municipal comprises a main cross-shaped, double-height principal volume. Its thick walls and wooden roof quickly catch the eye in this industrial construction, somewhat reminiscent of a church. Surrounding this volume, the complex includes a series of annexes, functioning as auxiliary spaces, connected by an outdoor courtyard. The building faces away from the sea, with residential buildings and a car dealership parking in front, separating it from the road leading north from Viana do Castelo. In a sense, the building remains hidden, in the background of the city.

The condition of these exiting spaces is reasonably good. Various studies and careful inspections have identified the possibilities for preserving or eliminating element by element . Approximately 80% of the walls will be preserved, while the roof of the main building will be completely renewed, to give an idea.

The renovation of this space presents an opportunity for Viana do Castelo, intrinsically connected to a co-creation process aimed at answering a fundamental question: why? The answer is neither singular nor definitive, as this project seeks to go far beyond architectural renovation. It aims to transcend the physical space of the building, truly impacting the city and its surroundings.

This project aims to retain talent in Viana do Castelo, become a source of inspiration leveraging on new technologies, and function as a space for meeting, interaction, and connection among people. This leads to the subsequent question: for whom? The main focus is creatives. Age will not be a constraint; for example, a young person with new technology tools can create something together with a creative senior. The uniting words will be creation and creativity.

Therefore, the Instituto Politécnico de Viana do Castelo (IPVC) and the Associação Juvenil de Deão are key pillars in creating Viana S+T+ARTS concept. The former, through its connection to academia, research, and technological transfer, and the latter, through its engagement with children and youth and their connections to different social community networks in the urban and rural areas, and also in an international level.

This ongoing reflection extends to the question: how? The answer is dynamic and not static. This model aspires to generate opportunities, synergies, business models, growth, and development both individually and collectively. In this context, the Associação Empresarial do Distrito de Viana do Castelo is involved to link the project to the business, industry, and service sectors. This model leverages not only a new space but also new relational models among agents, with DINAMO10 exemplifying creative business.

The project aims to be unique and inspiring, while respecting its identity and past. The construction innovation expertise of Itecons, combined with INOVA+'s ability to translate ideas into a tangible proposal, completes the partnership of a balanced, proactive, and capable team.

The execution project revolves around principles of sustainability, efficiency, and circularity, aiming to exceed standards for near-zero emission buildings. This project incorporates innovative acoustic and thermal solutions made from raw materials that would otherwise be treated as waste, like rice husks, hemp rediues . This project gives these materials an opportunity to turn into new, innovative solutions, with the goal of using 20% of recycled materials.

The circular strategy also applies to new building components, such as coatings, insulations, or even green roofs, and commits to reusing or recovering 90% of the waste generated during the renovation. For instance, all wood from dismantling the existing roof will be reused, giving it a second life.

The building will also serve as a living example of minimal impact by combining renewable energy sources, such as photovoltaic solar panels and a wind generator, to meet up to 50% of its energy needs, supported by a hydrogen energy storage system.

Material selection then involves co-creation among material science experts, space designers, architects, and manufacturers, which often introduce market innovations. The goal is to make decisions in an integrated manner, paying attention to the technical characteristics of the new materials, their visual appearance, and their integration with the project. This is, therefore, an added value given to the building retrofitting itself.

The project also aims to revitalize the surrounding area, conceived as an open, inclusive, and aesthetically pleasing space. It seeks to invite entry, participation, and exploration by merging art, culture, science, and technology through inspiration and creativity. Ultimately, it is a space born from co-creation for co-creation.

The New European Bauhaus philosophy provides it with an integrative purpose, a renewed vocation, and identity. Achieving these goals with a new building would be challenging. Inspiration will flow from the building, its architecture, the activities within, the technology for energy and water management, reused and recycled construction materials, and its evolving space design.

The environment of the building will also be transformed, giving way to a square in front of its main facade that will extend it beyond its current limits. Another sign of smoother integration will be found in its perimeter walls, currently closed, which will be partly removed to better connect the building with its surroundings and open it up.

The co-creation of this space prompts another question: what if expectations are unmet or do not fit? Would it be a failure? Absolutely not! The co-creation process has identified the opportunity to integrate this space into a multimodal, polynucleated network. Viana S+T+ARTS will act as well as an entry point to this network, connecting and amplifying possibilities.

This network considers various dimensions. Physically, activities might need larger extensions, maker labs, fab labs, coworking spaces, etc., which could be located within Viana S+T+ARTS or elsewhere in the network. In terms of human profiles, the building is 200 m far from the IPVC’s main campus. It is close to several schools and inside Viana do Castelo’s urban area, but it will also connect with rural contexts. This will link rural and urban youth, communities and stakeholders, maximizing potential for everyone’s benefit.

The co-creation continues now and will persist throughout the project's life. Indeed, it will remain alive throughout the building's existence to keep addressing challenges closely linked to the utilization of this space: its governance model, its communication plan, the effective use of this space in alignment and harmony with other spaces in the Viana do Castelo, etc. In short, Viana S+T+ARTS is an ambitious project, a redemption of the building’s past and a rebirth as a continuous source of creativity and new beginnings.