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Focusing their activity on prefabricated and modular architecture, the young Portuguese studio Summary, based in the Science and Technology Park of the University of Porto, has developed a series of projects that have met the growing demand for buildings, residential and otherwise, at affordable costs and with efficient execution speed.
The studio presents its latest project, 4 modular nurseries in Lisbon, where it has explored for the first time a three-dimensional prefabricated system based on reinforced concrete pieces with a “U” section, which are grouped and overlapped as needed.
In just 13 months, the nurseries – born in response to a public initiative project for the construction of nurseries in various areas of Lisbon through a competition organized by the Municipality – were built simultaneously in different locations in the city thanks to this system, which significantly accelerated the construction process.
“This approach allowed for a faster and controlled construction process, avoiding on-site concrete and thus reducing waste, noise, and dust. The goal was to expand the city’s network of public nurseries without disrupting the surrounding neighborhood during construction. Both the process and the result were equally important in achieving this goal.”
The overlapping of reinforced concrete structural modules constitutes the building’s surfaces, and the choice for such a material is solely linked to the modular configuration and the need to ensure solutions of high durability and low maintenance. From the outside, it is possible to have a clear reading of the buildings because the joints are visible, each module is recognizable, and so are the ways in which they are arranged and supported.
Two groups of stacked modules house various compartments, with a central corridor containing all horizontal and vertical circulation: corridors, stairwells, and elevators. Within these lines of the central corridor are the main sections of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning infrastructure, which reach the compartments through the adjacent side walls.
The nurseries are distributed over two floors to cope with the limited space of the plots and to maximize outdoor space for recreational areas, which have been designed as an extension of indoor activities. Essential service areas – kitchen, administrative area, laundry, etc. – are located on the ground floor, while the various activity rooms for children are distributed on both floors.
In 2016, Summary had already presented its Gomos project at the 15th Venice Biennale – a series of patented prefabricated base modules in reinforced concrete for water channeling infrastructures – transformed into housing units, already equipped with all finishes and installations made in the factory. Over the years, there have been numerous awards and exhibitions, including in 2018 at Maxxi in Rome and in 2023 at MAM, Mês da Arquitetura da Maia – Em Processo, Maia, Portugal. Numerous publications in sector magazines such as Abitare, XIa, Expresso, Arquitectura Viva, Forbes.
