In a floodable area, on the banks of the Tâmega River, the foundation dedicated to the preservation and promotion of the work of the painter Nadir Afonso goes up on a series of concrete slabs. Although the terrain is not the best for construction, its strategic situation in Chaves – birthplace of the artist – offers a good opportunity to revitalize the urban context by the river. The remains of the walls marking the boundary of the old Canhela das Longras are preserved as part of the landscape. Their irregular profile engages in dialogue with the building’s perimeter, which shifts to delimit a variety of spaces.

Nadir Afonso studied architecture and worked with masters like Le Corbusier and Niemeyer, and was a leading representative of geometric abstraction in Europe. In an evocative sense, the pure forms of his paintings are transferred to the base of the museum and become openings in the structural walls that support the raised platform. A gently sloping ramp leads to the upper level, where the main access is located, with two elevator shafts and a staircase descending to ground level. Inside the building the program is organized in three sections: reception, exhibition spaces, and service areas.