INSTITUTO is a platform for cultural production and exchange, dedicated to hosting and supporting diverse forms of artistic, architectural and research-based practices. It is located in a restored warehouse on Rua dos Clérigos, in the historic centre of Porto.
The original building was designed in the 1950s by renowned architect and engineer Júlio de Brito. The site was originally occupied by the pharmaceutical warehouses of Instituto Pasteur and comprises a rare ensemble of small industrial buildings, two annexes, and a generous courtyard. Like a significant part of Porto’s built heritage, the complex remained abandoned for several decades. In 2017, we carried out a modest and careful restoration that respected the site’s industrial character and layered history.
In 2018, we established our architectural studio in the building. Instituto was conceived shortly thereafter as an interdisciplinary extension of the studio - an open framework for cultural activities that could evolve organically over time. Today, Instituto offers a sequence of spaces with distinct atmospheres, hosting cultural programmes and initiatives.
team
Paulo Moreira, Hermínio Santos, Elena Borghese, Laurane Coornaert, Cristina Pinto, Alex Kirschstein
client
Paulo Moreira
builder
Manuel Sousa Costa
date
2017-18
building area
175 m2
outdoor area
90 m2
photography
Ivo Tavares Studio