The proposal for the Quinta da Baldaya housing complex is based on the complete requalification of the former facilities of the National Veterinary Research Laboratory (LNIV) in Benfica. The objective is to transform a currently characterless area into a new integrated urban complex, composed of residential buildings, shops and services, articulated with a permeable and high-quality public space. The intervention seeks to establish a new urban centrality, enhancing the Baldaya Palace and creating a network of squares, gardens and pedestrian paths that reinforce the relationship between the existing and the new urban fabric.

The project proposes a nearby green corridor, capable of addressing the scarcity of natural spaces in the area and connecting Benfica station to Monsanto Park. The choice of taller buildings with a smaller footprint allows for the creation of landscaped areas, increasing soil permeability and environmental quality. The urban strategy integrates principles of sustainability and collective memory, through the creation of a rainwater retention basin that evokes the old Ribeira de Benfica stream, transforming water into an ecological and educational element of the public space.

In terms of volume, the complex adapts to the terrain’s contours and the surrounding building heights, ensuring a progressive and harmonious transition. The design of the buildings and the color palette—greens on the lower floors, blues on the upper floors, and light concrete at the base—reinforce the integration with the landscape and the reading of the horizon. The result is a proposal that combines functionality, sustainability, and architectural expression, promoting a new relationship between living, city, and nature.