Promoted by the Câmara Municipal de Vila Verde, in northern Portugal, the Casa do Conhecimento follows the main objective of taking education beyond the context of schools or universities, creating an environment where the new technologies are accessible to the whole population. The new building contains a series of spaces for flexible use equipped with multimedia projection systems and interactive screens where workshops, gatherings or exhibitions can be celebrated.

Its location in the very center of town encourages everyone to participate. It goes up in one of the busiest areas, between Misericórdia Hospital and Praça da República Park. The material quality of the facade also contributes to the project’s purpose, because it is a continuous glass surface that makes activities inside the building visible to those outside. To prevent direct sunlight, a metal pergola with climbing plants covers the east and south facades, blurring the boundary between the park and and the building. The wedge-shaped floor plan follows a comb scheme where a main corridor crosses the building lengthwise, connecting the different rooms.