Erechim Chamber | Contest 

Located in the heart of Erechim, a short distance from Praça da Bandeira, are the City Council and the plot destined for its expansion. The surroundings have heterogeneous morphological characteristics, with different volumes and styles. Thus, the project becomes a dialogue between different times and spaces.

The extensive program and the small dimensions of the lot, combined with limited volume, forced us to optimize spaces, reinforcing the architectural gestures that we consider fundamental.

Valuing the existing heritage, we maintained the main access at Comandante Salomoni. We recovered the original configuration of the pilotis, according to the author's original perspective, which indicated the intention of a glazed ground floor. We removed the external masonry from this floor, increasing the glass area and the transparency of this area with a public vocation. Due to the symbolic force of this gesture, we avoided placing closed spaces touching this facade. The result is a large linear lobby, where public functions take place naturally.

For the Expansion, we sought a silent building, appropriate to the scale of neighbors and pedestrians, respectful of the existing building and other nearby historic buildings: a simple prism that establishes a discreet relationship with the pre-existence and the urban landscape. Its main facade, protected from sunlight, clearly mentions the modernist architecture of the old building, using current technologies.

We align the levels of the new floors with the existing ones, facilitating natural enjoyment for users. By eliminating the appendix, we created a centralized vertical circulation core for the set, solving the demands of separate flows, maximum distances and universal accessibility. We make use of the almost immateriality of glass to make this interstice subtle, highlighting the separation between new and old.

The integration of the levels allows users to access the complex at Comandante Salomoni and naturally walk through a large, well-lit space, where the Chamber's public service and memorial functions take place. Entering the expansion, a café serves as a welcoming place. At the end of this route, a staircase takes the user to the lower floor, level with Avenida Uruguai, where Plenário and Plenarinho are located.

The place is configured as an internal square that merges with the public space, open and inviting to citizens, which can be explored for civic activities. The Plenarinho is configured with movable partitions, allowing it to be completely open to this square. A grandstand complements this space, creating an inviting area for the population and employees.

Whoever arrives at the Chamber here can choose to go straight to the Plenary – the heart of municipal civic activities – or go up to the rest of the building.

As a strategy for programmatic centers, the back of the ground floor and the entire upper floor house spaces for employees' daily office hours, reserved for contact with the public.

The creation of an internal courtyard made it possible to arrange work rooms on the north and south facades and also facing this courtyard, providing natural lighting and ventilation and lots of greenery for everyone.

Our proposal respects the existing architectural heritage, enhances the urban landscape, enriches the daily lives of employees and creates a new meeting place for the citizens of Erechinense.