Sentir - Cultural and Exhibition Center

Project idea

The project Sentir was designed taking in account the necessity of inclusive and accessible spaces in Natal, Rio Grande do Norte. Rio Grande do Norte is one of the Brazilian states with the highest percentage of disabled people in its population with a rate of 27.7%, according to Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE).

Based on this data, a survey with forty (40) disabled people from Natal was made to ask about the quality and quantity of inclusive and accessible spaces. The result showed that 80% of the interviewers are dissatisfied with general spaces for leisure and meeting in Natal.

As result of these, Sentir – Cultural and Exhibition Center has an architectural program that seeks to include all people in the built space through the activities and experiences inside the building.

Project description

The concept of the project is based initially on a conceptual triad that presents three terms: Meeting, Sensation and Inclusion. The expression "Meeting" is at the top of the triad, because the architectural program and the distribution of space developed in the proposal prioritizes the meeting, the well-being and the leisure between the users through the sensations, experiences and inclusion.

The built space is a convex space that has in its center an occupiable void where people can occupy and stay as long as they want. The shape designed in this project connects all incidences of convex spaces based on their intervisibility, that is, through its shape, its architecture can promote spaces functionally more interconnected. In addition, the shape of the building has a higher ceiling to connect all people in the same way, making them small in relation to the architectural scale and equal in relation to their variable human scales, whether they are sitting, in a wheelchair or standing.

In general, all activities, fuctions and special circulation are chosen with the intention to connecting people, making them live and have fun in the same space.

UNION AND CHAOS PAVILLION

The Union and Chaos Pavilion was designed as a space for social and critical reflection, which induces people to be always united in the center of the pavilion for do not experience the chaos, which is figured by loud noises. That is, when users approach the walls of the indoor space, they feel a hearing discomfort that will only cease if everyone goes to the center, moving away to the wall, thus uniting against the chaos.

Technical information

Location: Natal, Rio Grande do Norte | Brazil
Area: 14560,26 square meters

Designed Plan functions:

Social Area

Food Court, Lobby, Snack Bar, Restaurant, Coffe shop, Exhibition Hall - Temporary and Permanent Exhibitions, Snack bar, Craft and Book Shop, Braille Library, Meditation Room, Healthy Space, Music Room, Classrooms, Common Library and Indoor Jogging Track.

Unity and Chaos Pavillion

Services and Office Area
Loading and Unloading of Goods (Docks), Storage, Reception Desk, Multiuse Room, Dining Room/Minikitchen, Office and Teacher's Room.